Keep Truckin': A History of Navesink Hook and Ladder's Fire Trucks

While the firehouse home base of Middletown’s Navesink Hook and Ladder Fire Co. No 1 evolved over the years, so did everything else, none more so than the trucks.

At first, the "trucks" were carts pulled by horses.

On Nov. 3, 1887, Joseph Stankiewitz, of Stone Church, built the first, hand-drawn fire truck, which could be pulled by a horse, for the sum of $78.00. By 1910, the company had purchased a chemical engine for $53.75, paying for it a little at a time. This proved to be much more effective than the buckets formerly used.

However, in 1911, the company also added a pump and a three-horse power engine for $125 along with 100 feet of fire hose at 35 cents a foot.

The new truck, considered up to date, proved quite heavy to pull. As a result, Tom Garney was paid $3.00 for a horse to pull the truck for each alarm when available.  Shortly after, a used 1911 Thomas Flyer automobile was purchased along with a pump that could throw a stream of water 150 feet from a nozzle.

The firehouse was mortgaged and the car and pump purchased for $875.

Engineer Albert Burdge converted the car into a fire truck, which soon became known all over the county as a most dependable piece of equipment. Because of this, the company was called out to assist at many major fires all along the shore and in Red Bank.

From 1917 on, the fire company purchased many fire trucks, among them a Ford-Smith Forman that they rigged up as a fire truck. The old hand-drawn truck was to be sold, but the company had no bidders. A chemical tank was placed on this truck, which proved effective at small fires and was later placed on another truck.

This tank is still in the company's possession along with a number of other items, including the original clock from the old firehouse, the first bell, and the original head table.

In 1934, the company purchased a new Seagrave 600 triple combination pumper and an old Chevrolet chemical truck was sold to Edward Jones who promptly converted it to an Ice Wagon and used it around the community for many years.

In 1948, the company's first Mack, a 750 gallons-per-minute truck, was purchased and in 1960, another 750 gallons-per-minute Mack was dedicated.

In 1975, the company purchased a new Mack 1250 gallons-per-minute pumper to replace the 1948 Mack. The old '48 Mack was sold to the Feldschoesschen Brewery in Feldschoesschen, West Germany. 

During the first week of June 1975, the old '48 Mack was driven to Port Elizabeth and loaded on the Soviet freighter Pavograd. The truck arrived in Germany on June 20,1975 and was used to advertise that brewery's beer in German parades.

In 2010, a tourist contacted the company with photos he had taken of the Mack still in use by Feldschoesschen. A search of their website shows the truck at some of their events, complete with the hook and ladder company’s name on the hood, the Indian head logo on the doors and “Navesink, NJ” on the sides.

In 1986, the company purchased a 1984 Mack, 1250 gallons-per-minute pumper to replace the old 1960 truck. The 1960 Mack was sold to Walkersville Volunteer Fire Company in West Virginia.

In 1995, the company received a Pierce Lance 1500 gallons-per-minute pumper, with a 750-gallon tank. The 1974 Mack was sold to a company named Interfire and is believed to have been sent to South America.

In 2004, a new Spartan Smeal 2000 gallons-per-minute pumper was purchased. Its 1250 gallon tank is largest the company has ever had in one of their fire trucks. 

A wet down for the Smeal was held on June 18, 2005. The 1984 Mack was sold to neighboring Highlands Fire Department, where it is still in service today.

Do you know your Middletown fire trucks now?