Cassville fire company to celebrate new truck
BY DAVE BENJAMIN
Staff Writer

DAVE BENJAMIN On May 5, the Cassville Volunteer Fire Company No. 1, Jackson, will dedicate Engine No. 5621, which is capable of carrying 750 gallons of water and is outfitted as a multiuse apparatus that can be used for conventional firefighting as well as for light rescue work and extrication.

JACKSON - Members of the Cassville Volunteer Fire Company No. 1 have a lot of reasons to celebrate.

On May 5 the volunteer firefighters will host a five-truck dedication, also known as a "wet-down," and celebrate 68 years of service to Jackson. The fire company's history is filled with a lot of hard work fighting fires and making rescues.

Cassville President Doug Velting said the event will begin with a firetruck motorcade from Six Flags Great Adventure to the firehouse on Miller Avenue. The motorcade will leave Great Adventure at about noon.

The celebration at the Cassville firehouse will begin at about 1 p.m. and feature live entertainment by Wicked Cricket, entertainment for children, games, food and drink. The event is open to the public.

Cassville Fire Chief Matt Genovese said, "One of the new fire engines, an Elite Power Product Fire Engine No. 5621, we are dedicating, was proudly placed into action on Feb. 14. This new engine is capable of carrying 750 gallons of water and is outfitted as a multiuse apparatus which can be used for conventional firefighting as well as for light rescue work and extrication."

The truck can carry up to six firefighters and it brings the Cassville fleet back to its three full-service engines, replacing a 1984 GMC mini-pumper, he said.

The process of acquiring the new truck took more than a year to complete, he said.

"We were tasked with the mission of finding a custom pumper that would sufficiently serve the residents of our fire district, as well as any other [fire district] that may need our assistance," Genovese said. "This was all done while striving to maintain and ensure the practice of being fiscally responsible on behalf of the taxpayers, which was an enormous goal in and of itself.

"We were able to procure this engine, virtually fully equipped for $265,000, which was approximately $125,000 under budget and a substantial savings to the taxpayers and without sacrificing quality," he said.

The engine was purchased from Elite Power Products, Tilleda, Wis., through Hundt Fire and Rescue, South Jersey. It has been named "Midnight Express" and is red and black.

Engine No. 5621 will be housed at the Miller Avenue fire station.

The May 5 event will also feature four other vehicles that have never been dedicated: a 2001 E-One engine; a pre-owned 1998 E-One engine acquired in 2004; a 2006 Foster Hurricane air-power light trailer; and a 2006 Ford F-250 assistant chief operations vehicle.

The Cassville fire company was formed in 1939 when a dozen men met at Norton's Garage in the Cassville section of Jackson and filed the required paperwork. The men bought a used REO pump truck and purchased a plot of land from Arnold Schenker Sr. for $75. In 1943 the fire company began building a firehouse, which was completed in 1946.

The Ladies Auxiliary was formed in 1947 to provide fundraising activities, auctions and bake sales.

In 1963 a major forest fire was fought by the members of the Cassville company, with the help of firefighters from Pennsylvania, New York and other areas of New Jersey. The Ladies Auxiliary fed them all.

A short time later, the firehouse had a fire of its own and had to be rebuilt.

A substation was built in 1979 to make room for additional equipment and firefighters.

K.R. Youmans was made the first life member of the Cassville fire company on Aug. 26, 1989, as the company celebrated its 50th anniversary. Since then, five other members have achieved that status.

Cassville Volunteer Fire Company No. 1 protects 65 square miles in the southern and northwestern portions of Jackson, which is the third largest municipality in New Jersey at 100.3 square miles The fire company is staffed by more than 30 active volunteer firefighters. For more information visit www.cassvillefire.org.