History of Our Fire Company 

     Early in 1948 a group of citizens of the Town of Malta, realizing the inadequacy of the existing fire protection plan, began meeting at the Malta Ridge Grange Hall to discuss the formation of a fire company. By June 1948 a charter had been applied for and approved as well as incorporation papers filed. The charter membership totaled sixty-eight citizens.

       By means of card parties, raffles and donations of time and money, equipment was gradually acquired. A 1928 American LaFrance pumper was purchased and a small utility truck was donated.

       The Quonset hut, which housed the engine and tanker, was purchased in 1949 at the Army Supply Depot in Saratoga Springs. The hut was dismantled and then reassembled at Malta Ridge .

       A 1944 four wheeled drive truck was purchased in 1953.

       During 1954 and 1955 respectively, two service units were added to Malta Ridge . The women of the community formed the Malta Ridge Volunteer Ladies Auxiliary and a fire police unit was instituted.

       In 1957, a tank truck was purchased and delivered.

       The period from 1956 to 1958 marked the building of additions to the Quonset hut to house a kitchen, restrooms and meeting room.

       With its specifications drawn up in 1963 and its delivery in 1964, the new Ford-Howe pumper was the pride of the county. The firehouse was extended sixteen feet to the east of the house the new truck.

       Looking to the future as always, the parcel of land to the south of the firehouse was acquired in 1966 to allow for future expansion. In 1967 a committee was formed to study and make recommendations for a new firehouse.        In October 1970, the fire company moved into its new building and the old Quonset hut was donated to the Town of Malta Highway Department, who then moved it down route 9 to be used for their growing operations.

       It was decided that the fire company needed equipment closer to the center of town, so the company, leased a garage on Dunning Street pending construction of a new building on Route 9 just north of Collamer Heights. That building was completed in 1979 and the fire company then had two fully operational firehouses.

       With the growth of the town, the company had to grow also. An additional used pumper was purchased and our old 1957 was replaced with a new one in 1981. A new engine-tanker was added in 1988 to replace the 1964 pumper and the fire company also added a new rescue truck to help with the increasing number of motor vehicle accident as well to be used as an auxiliary truck at structure fires. A new brush truck was purchased in 1989 an in 1993, a new engine-tanker was purchased to replace the used one we had been struggling to keep maintained.

       A new firehouse was started in 1992, as work continued on the new firehouse in 1994, the 1^st floor truck bays and offices were finished, the Town of Malta granted a CO to house the fire truck. Finally in 1996 the new firehouse was completed and an open house was held on July 4^th weekend.

       1997 was a banner year with the arrival of a new engine-tanker and a fire rescue boat. The Saratoga Lake Improvement Assoc. donated the pontoon boat. It was equipped with water rescue gear and a portable pump and hoses to better protect the lakeshore properties. Our rescue truck was rebuilt with a 4-door cab and new compartments to enhance emergency operations.

       Also, a new picnic pavilion/storage shed was built on the company’s property south of exit 13.

      1998 started out with our 50^th anniversary Banquet at which, awards were presented to Ernest Kunz & Ernest Melander, from the fire company and Firemen’s Assoc. of New York State for 50 years of service. Michael Czupil another 50 year member who was unable to attend also received his awards at a later date.

       The fire company purchased a used 50 foot water tower/ladder truck and had it completely refurbished and repainted for and 10% of the cost of a new truck. The purchase greatly enhanced the operations with all the new construction growth throughout the town including the new senior housing project at Highpoint.

       Through the years, the fire company has upgraded our personal alerting systems for quicker response times as well as our personal protection gear to keep up with the NFPA, & OSHA standards. Additional rescue equipment, Scott Air breathing apprentice were purchased for safer operation of our members.  

       During the years of service to our community, The Malta Ridge Volunteer Fire Company has answered hundreds of calls of all types, dwellings, businesses, vehicle fires, grass fires, & mutual aids calls to neighboring communities for emergencies needing men, equipment, or both, attesting to the active involvement in community safety of the volunteers who are continuing to build upon what was conceived over fifty year ago.  

COMPANY HISTORIAN - OSWALD BLOW