The Haverstraw Fire Department and it’s five independent Fire Companies render all facets of fire protection to the Village of Haverstraw N.Y.
The Village of Haverstraw, in exchange for a body of personnel, assign apparatus and quarters to the active companies. The companies then respond as Rockland County Department 4 to all calls in the Village of Haverstraw, New York.
A Fire Council, presided by the Fire Chief, consists of ten wardens and four assistant chief officers representing the active companies of the Haverstraw Fire Department.
Rescue Hook and Ladder Company #1
“Service To All Without Fear Or Favor”
General Warren Emergency Co. No. 2
“Ever Ready When Duty Calls”
Relief Hose Co. No. 3
“Thunder In The Night”
Cosgriff Hose Co. No. 4
“Lightning Strikes Before Thunder”
Lady Warren Hose Co. No. 5
“Forever Irish”
The Companies
On May 15, 1854, Warren Engine Company #1 was formed in the new
Village of Warren NY. On September 1st, 1854 the Village of Warren
purchased from Mr. Isaiah Millburn a building at what is now the lot at
36 Middle Street, and the company occupied these rooms until 1884.
Rescue Hook and Ladder Company #1 was formed 3 months earlier, in January of 1854 and was responding from Liberty Street, its funding by community subscription.
On March 3, 1857 Union Engine Company #2 was formed, and in late 1858 a contract was awarded to erect quarters for Rescue Hook and Ladder Co #1 and Union Engine Company #2 on Division Street. In exchange for these new quarters, Rescue H&L #1 was folded into the department early in 1859.
Union Engine #2 and Rescue H&L #1 would respond from Division Street until Lady Warren Engine was formed in 1869. The Lady Warren steamer, donated to the company in 1871, was bearing the #5 when it arrived, hence Lady Warren Engine Company #5.
The Liberty Street quarters, known as Osborns Hall, was home to both Rescue and Lady Warren in the 1870’s, both companies refusing to share quarters with Union #2 on Division Street.
In 1876 Mutual Hose Company #1 was formed and responded from Division Street with Union Engine Company #2, and were disbanded September 2, 1878.
Triumph Hose Company #2 was formed on the 25th of September 1878 and took Mutual Hose #1’s rooms and cart on Division Street until they moved to Middle Street in 1884.
In 1878, a contract was awarded for $900.00 to erect a house for Rescue H&L #1, and by 1880 a new firehouse was erected for them opposite Warren Engine #1 on the North side of Middle Street.
At meeting held March 6th, 1882 , funds were approved for a new building for Warren Engine #1. This new building was built on the west side of Rescue H&L #1 in 1883.
In 1884, Union Engine #2 was disbanded for Insubordination and it’s pumper was assigned to Warren Engine #1 . Division Street was taken over by Lady Warren Engine #5 and was known forever as Insurrection Hall. Triumph Hose #2 took over the South Side of Middle Street where they would remain for all of their history
In 1886, 37 fire hydrants were placed throughout the Village, and Hose carts were issued to the Engine Companies. Warren Engine #1 would become General Warren Hose Company #1, and responded with the old Union Engine until 1919. The Lady Warren Steamer was also retired around this time, the company moniker changed to Lady Warren Hose Company #5.
The Lady Warren Hose Company #5 occupied Division Street, then new buildings were built at 91 Broadway and then their present quarters at 88 Broadway.
On June 5th, 1895 the residents of Hahns Corners formed Relief Hose Company #3, and the Village provided quarters at the corner of Westside and Gurnee Aves. They responded from the Westside Avenue firehouse for 15 years before their quarters were completed at 11 Conklin Avenue, where they remain today.
The Triumph Hose Company #2 had been meeting in the old Middle Street quarters since Warren Engine #1 rooms were built in 1883. Their membership dwindled throughout the 90’s. and they were disbanded June 2, 1902 for non attendance.
The Cosgriff Hose Company #4 was formed in June of 1902, and was assigned the cart and quarters of old Triumph Hose #2 on the South Side of Middle Street where they remained until the Municipal building was built.
Warren Engine Company #1
May 15, 1854
South Side Middle Street
Middle Street
Municipal Building
Union Engine Company #2
March 3, 1857
April 18, 1884
Division Street
Rescue Hook and Ladder #1
April 18, 1859
Liberty Street
Division Street
Middle Street
Municipal Building
Lady Warren Engine Co #5
June 12, 1869
Division Street
Liberty Street
91 Broadway
88 Broadway
Mutual Hose Co #1 December 1, 1876 September 2 1878 Division Street
Triumph Hose Company #2 September 25, 1878 June 2, 1902 Division Street South Side of Middle Street
Relief Hose Company #3
June 5, 1895
Westside Avenue
Conklin Avenue
Cosgriff Hose Company #4
June 2, 1902
South Side of Middle Street
Municipal Building
The Combination
On June 7, 1934 a special meeting of the Haverstraw Fire Department Fire Council was held for the purpose of adopting an amendment to the Constitution and By-Laws of the Department to allow equal representation in the Chiefs ranks from all active companies. The amendment was passed and stands today forever breaking the Combination, with a convention being held on the first Thursday after the first Tuesday in April ever since.
On February 14, 1859 the New York State Legislature passed an act which provided for and regulated the election of one Chief Engineer and two assistant Chief Engineers of the fire department of the Village of Warren New York. The department held elections yearly and elected three ‘Chiefs’ for the ensuing year.
In 1893, a petition was passed and signed by 45 firemen asking the Village Board to throw out the election that year held in the bar of the United States Hotel, citing shenanigan’s in the ballot box. Although the Village Attorney suggested that the election was questionable, the board let it stand. Nick Murphy of Triumph Hose was ratified, and was the last Chief ever from Triumph, the company being disbanded soon after.
In 1898, the Department adopted a Chiefs Convention whereby each company would send 3 delegates to the convention and nominate 3 candidates from any of the active companies as Chief and Assistant Chiefs. General Warren #2, Relief Hose #3, and Lady Warren #5 dominated the convention and Department for the next 10 years.
In 1908, the two Middle Street companies not represented, the ‘old’ Rescue and ‘new’ Cosgriff, used their influence to swing General Warren their way and for the next 6 years, the Middle Street Companies held sway.
In 1914, Haverstraw was hosting the Hudson Valley Parade and Convention. Thomas Flynn of Rescue #1 was in step for Chief. Lady Warren wanted Bernie Fox and needed the combination to secure this honor. With Relief and General Warren joining Lady Warren in electing Fox, the big loser was Tom Flynn and Rescue #1. At this point, and for the next 20 years, neither Rescue #1 or Cosgriff #4 had a sitting Chief. It was 36 years before each of the companies got equal representation in the Haverstraw Fire Department.
In 1921, a young man joined General Warren Hose Company and his name was Charles Fales. He was the step-son of Thomas Flynn, and being that the only thing deeper than politics is family, Smokey never forgot that Flynn got the ‘boot’.
Working the ranks of General Warren, serving as Secretary and Captain of the company as well as Village clerk, Smokey was elected in 1930 as 2nd assistant chief, thanks to the combination.
As with all enthusiastic volunteers, he was quickly named chairman of the By Law committee and soon had a group of rules up for review. Among them was a rule to allow the Election of one Chief Officer from each of the 5 companies, effectively ending the Combination and allowing equal representation in the Department. The by-law change died in committee, the matter left on the table.
On Tuesday April 5, 1934, Smokey was elected Chief of the Department. After four years of pressure from the Middle Street companies, who were out of the combination since 1914, Smokey sensed a more reformist attitude within the Department, and that the time was ripe for change.
The Minutes show that during the Department Re-Organizational meeting on April 27, 1934, Smokey proposed an amendment to the By-Laws to allow equal representation to the Board from all five companies.
On June 7, 1934 a special meeting of the Fire Council was held for the purpose of adopting an amendment to the Constitution and By-Laws of the Haverstraw Fire Department to allow equal representation to the board by allowing election of one Chief and 4 assistants for the ensuing year. The amendment passed and an election was held that night to elect Chiefs from Rescue and Cosgriff.
At the Annual Meeting that year, the line consisted of the following:
Charles Fales General Warren #2
Harry Joachim Relief Hose #3
Jack Feeney Lady Warren #5
William Babcock Cosgriff Hose #4
William Pallett Rescue #1
To this day, on the first Thursday after the First Tuesday in the month of April, the Haverstraw Fire Department convenes a Chiefs Convention at 8pm to select 1 Chief and 4 assistant chiefs to represent each of the five companies of the Haverstraw Fire Department.
