History - Our Past and Present

Through the years, the Malta Ridge Volunteer Fire Company has grown as the community has expanded. Upgrading the facilities and equipment to better serve the community and protect our firefighters is an ongoing effort. We are always striving to achieve quicker response times and compliance with NFPA & OSHA safety standards. The list below highlights some of the milestones the Malta Ridge Volunteer Fire Company has achieved throughout its history.

1948: A Malta Town meeting exposed the inadequacies of the existing fire protection plans. A charter was applied for and approved and incorporation papers were filed. The Charter membership of the Malta Ridge Volunteer Fire Company totaled 68 members. The Charter members purchased a 1928 American LaFrance Pumper and received a small utility truck.

1949: A Quonset Hut was purchased to house the engine and tanker trucks.

1953: A 1944 four-wheel drive truck was purchased.

1954: The Malta Ridge Volunteer Ladies Auxiliary was formed.

1955: The Fire Police unit was formed.

1957: A new Tanker Trunk was purchased.

1956-58: Additions including a kitchen, restrooms and a meeting room were constructed in the Quonset Hut.

1964: A New Ford-Howe pumper, the pride of the country at the time, was delivered. The firehouse was extended 16 feet to house the new truck.

1966: A parcel of land south of the firehouse was acquired to allow for future expansion.

1967: A committee was formed to study and plan for a new firehouse.

1970: The Fire Company moved from the old Quonset Hut into its new station. The Quonset Hut was donated to the Town of Malta Highway Department.

1979: The company leased a garage on Dunning Street while construction was completed on a new station on Route 9. The new station was completed in October. The company then had two fully operational firehouses.

1981: An additional used pumper truck was purchased. The old 1957 pumper truck was replaced with a new one.

1988: A new engine-tanker was purchased to replace the 1964 pumper. A new rescue truck was purchased to help with the increased number of motor vehicle accidents and structure fires.

1989: A new brush truck was purchased.

1992: Construction started on a new firehouse (currently Station 1).

1993: A new engine-tanker was purchased to replace the used one previously purchased.

1994: The first floor truck bays and offices were completed in the new firehouse.

1996: The new Firehouse was completed and an open house was held to introduce the station to the community during the July 4th weekend. A picnic pavilion and storage shed was built on the company’s property off I-87 Exit 13.

1998: The Malta Ridge Volunteer Fire Company celebrated its 50th anniversary. An awards banquet celebrated 50 years of service from Ernest Kunz, Ernest Melander and Michael Czupil. The company also purchased a used 50-foot water tower and ladder truck and completely refurbished and repainted each for less than 10 percent of the cost of a new truck.

2010: A new Urban/Wildland Interface Vehicle was purchased to replace the old brushfire truck. This truck is larger than the old brushfire truck but smaller than a typical rescue engine allowing it to be used for both wild land fire attacks and motor vehicle accidents. A new Engine Tanker was also purchased to take some of the load off the aging Rescue Engine at Station 2.

The Malta Ridge Volunteer Fire Company has answered thousands of calls of all types over the years and responded to many homes, businesses, vehicle fires, and grass fires. We have responded to mutual aids calls to neighboring communities for emergencies needing additional men, equipment, or both. Our responses are a testament to the active involvement in the safety and protection of our community and represent the commitment of our volunteers who continue to build upon what was conceived over fifty years ago. We salute our founding fathers for the foresight and contributions.

Company Historian - Oswald Blow