Untitled (2)CHELSEA FIREHOUSE -
The Chelsea Fire District
covers a large portion of the
southern part of the Town of
Wappinger and in 1976 it will
be celebrating its 30th an-
niversary.
The Chelsea Fire
Department formed on April
1, 1946 after several
residents got together in
realization that the com-
munity had no real fire
protection. Nineteen men,
nmw�
having decided not to wait
for a bond issue, put up $1,800
out of their own pockets to
buy a war surplus fire truck.
The department purchased a
1943 Ford Pumper with a 200
gallon tank.
The first fire was July 15,
1946, a barn fire on the
Stonykill Road which was
engulfed in flames when
firemen arrived. It was a
total loss.
The fire department
became incorporated Feb. 4,
1947 and on Aug. 6, 1947 it
participated in its first
parade. The Mase Hook and
Ladder Company of Beacon
was host.
There was no central fire
station for the fire district so
the trucks were housed in
private garages. In 1950 a
fire station was built at the
corner of Broadway and
Liberty Streets and the
department moved in during
Arthur Couglin, Daniel
Couglin, Peter Coughlin,
George Hammond, Richard
Price, George Robinson,
John Todd, Austin Boland,
William Brickner and
Herbert Muller Sr., who is
supervisor of the Town of
Fishkill.
life members are Emory
Hager, Ned Hammond,
George Reich, Elting Scott,
Walter Sommer. Exempt
members are Edward Price,
Jerry Weyant, Frank
Masopust, James Cirillo,
Antonio Turco, Warren
Miller, Charles Couglin,
Robert Searles, Carl Ehlers,
Bryon Van Vlack Sr.,
Eugene Sheppard and An-
thony Martire.