History
Bantam Fire Company
The Bantam Fire Company was organized by a group of 17 concerned residents who submitted a petition to the warden and Board of Burgesses of the Borough of Bantam to establish the fire department. This was granted on February 3, 1917. The first chief of the fire department was Robert Currie who held the office for 9 years.
The Bantam Fire Company was originally called the Bantam Fire Department and changed names upon incorporating, effective on April 15, 1921. Thus, the name was changed to the Bantam Fire Company, incorporated. The Department joined the Connecticut State Firemens Association on October 13, 1916. The first president was Wilbur Anderson.
The first firehouse was a converted storage shed owned by St. Paul’s Episcopal Church. It was repaired and painted by members of the Fire Department and completed on April 3, 1917. The total cost of the project was $47.00, plus an additional $3.50 for locks and keys for the doors.
The first articles of apparatus were one 30 foot extension ladder, three buckets, and two fire axes. On June 28, 1918, a decision was made to purchase hats to wear as a type of uniform for parades and other functions.
Instruction in fire fighting at the State Fire Fighting School was made mandatory for all members of the company on July 2, 1940. First Aid instruction given by members of the American Red Cross was begun a few years later, on January 13, 1942.
Borough and town officials met with members of the Company on January 6, 1953 to discuss the possibility of obtaining the right of way through the property of the Fire Company for the proposed school to be built in the rear of the firehouse.
The Bantam Fire Company “Fire Police” organized and began training in March of 1963. In January of 1968, the First Company budget was submitted to the Town of Litchfield for inclusion in the Town’s yearly budget. The point system for crediting members with attendance at fire drills, work details, and meetings was put into effect on April 4, 1970. On September 5, 1972, Emergency Medical Training (EMT) courses were started at Charlotte Hungerford Hospital. Personnel of the hospital were the instructors for the course and the cost to each member was $20.
The school poster contest in observance of Fire Prevention Week at the Bantam Grammar School started in October of 1972. On April 1, 1975, the members voted to sponsor the Boy Scouts of America, Troop 29 of Bantam, who had lost their previous sponsors, the American Legion Post of Bantam.
In 1989, a category III tornado caused major destruction in the Borough of Bantam and to the Milton section of Litchfield. At the time, it was noticed by the town fathers how small the firehouse (on Route 202) was and needed to be replaced. A building committee was established and the project began in late 2000. The new building was to cost 1.5 million dollars and funded partially by a FHMA loan for $900,000 and the remaining amount bonded. The company moved into the new facility in 1992.
Presently, The Bantam Fire Company is an all-volunteer fire company with 56 active members. They provide services such as fire suppression, rescue, emergency medical service (EMS), cold-water rescue, and haz-mat operations to not only our service area, but also the entire town of Litchfield and neighboring towns under mutual aid. We also provide emergency shelter for Litchfield residents during emergency situations caused by Mother Nature or man made. We are committed to provide the highest level of care and professionalism that they are certified to perform. There is never a charge for the work that our volunteers perform.
The Bantam Fire Company operates and maintains a 2000 Gladiator 1500GPM Gowans & Knight Pumper, 1995 Freightliner/4 guys 18 ft rescue, 1986 GMC/Four Guys 1800 Gal tanker, 1986 Ford/Four Guys Mini Pumper, 1979 Oren 1000 GPM Pumper, 2002 Chevrolet pickup, 18 ft special operations trailer, 17 ft fire/rescue boat (moored on Bantam Lake), 14 ft aluminum boat w/ OB motor, 16 ft Haz-Mat trailer w/ absorbents, 1922 American-LaFrance antique, 2 ambulances - 1997 Horton & 1989 Road Rescue