Serving Broad Channel For 118 Years

By Katie McFadden

There’s no doubt New York’s Bravest does an exemplary job when responding to calls, but in an emergency, seconds matter, especially for an isolated town like Broad Channel. And with Rockaway’s Engine 266 and Howard Beach’s Engine 331/ Ladder 173 both having to traverse bridges for Broad Channel’s emergencies, for the residents there, having their own volunteer fire department in town makes all the difference. This year, the Broad Channel Volunteer Fire Department (BCVFD) is celebrating 118 years and they’ll be marking the occasion with the installation of their newest officers at the annual BCVFD Dinner on February 25.

Having been with the BCVFD for 25 years, Chief Ed Wilmarth knows a thing or two about the importance of having a group of firefighters that give their time as a labor of love for their community, and the impact the firehouse has had in the 118-year history of the Department. As Wilmarth explained, the BCVFD is the oldest volunteer fire department in Queens, and only the second oldest in New York City. With the FDNY serving the five boroughs, volunteer fire departments are few and far between, but for towns like Broad Channel, they fill a big need.

For Broad Channel, that need was realized in 1905 and was fulfilled when a bucket brigade got together on August 31, 1905. It was a time when Broad Channel was just starting to be developed, and homes popped up before the island’s bridges did. But with the island only being accessible by boat, the town realized they would need something in the event of a fire. That need grew when in 1907, in neighboring Howard Beach, a massive fire took out 18 buildings. Broad Channel realized they would need a little something more to avoid a similar disaster. So they began fundraising to help the bucket brigade purchase more formal equipment and the brigade became the Broad Channel Volunteer Fire Department. They just needed a home.

In 1907, they landed at their current location at 15 Noel Road and construction began. On June 15, 1908, the firehouse, the same one the BCVFD uses today, was officially open. In the ‘50s, it was realized that Broad Channel needed even more rescue services. As Wilmarth explained, when Broad Channel finally did get bridges, they were drawbridges that were frequently opened as fuel was primarily transported by ship. Subjected to frequent delays with open bridges, plus summer traffic trying to get to the up-and-coming Rockaway peninsula, Broad Channel was still left vulnerable when it came to medical emergencies. In 1956, the BCVFD began its own ambulance service, and remains as one of the oldest volunteer ambulance services in New York City.

For 118 years, the BCVFD has been there for calls big and small.

The BCVFD operates in a unique way compared to other volunteer fire departments. Since WWII, when the department also served as a Civil Defense Unit, the members do shift work, much like the FDNY, so there’s always a group at the firehouse for when a call comes in, and always someone there to make sure the equipment is in working order, so there are no last-minute surprises.

Ironically, today, fires aren’t the main emergency for the BCVFD. “It’s a quiet tour. I haven’t been to a big fire in months, which is a good thing, but not to apply your skills and get the experience you want,” Wilmarth said. Since Hurricane Sandy, Wilmarth says most of the new and renovated homes in Broad Channel are much safer than the homes of the past, many with

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