Apparatus

The Goshen Firefighters Association (GFA) has been in possession of and has since acquired the Town’s first fire engine – a 1937 Dodge – from the Town of Goshen for $1 in 2013.  This used piece of apparatus was originally purchased for $1,000 in 1947.  As a front line engine, it was the only fire truck that protected the citizens of Goshen for over a decade until Engine 4 – an American LaFrance – was purchased by the Town of Goshen in 1960 and replaced it.

At that time, members of the GFA drove Engine 1 in local parades.  In addition, the group travelled the region to participate in firefighter muster competitions that were held at places like Mountain Park in Holyoke, the Tri-county Fairgrounds in Northampton and at the Franklin County fair in Greenfield.

To make space for two Highland ambulances in our current station, the 1937 Dodge had been stored in a barn at the Tilton Town Farm for many years.  It became apparent to GFA members that storing the vehicle in a building that was historically used as a chicken coop was doing more harm than good to the unit.  The GFA then purchased a portable storage garage that was set up behind the fire station. That worked well until the temporary structure collapsed after a heavy snowstorm.  For the past several years, the truck had been stored in an open barn down in Lithia by the Judd family and behind the fire station.

The volunteer members of the GFA through fundraising efforts and personal donations of time, money and labor began the process of preserving this historical resource.  Longtime Goshen Fire Department Captain Steve Mollison was instrumental in kick starting this drive over a decade ago by collecting bottles and cans from the Town Transfer Station and turning them in for cash that was deposited in the 1937 Dodge Restoration Fund.  Additional contributions and matching funds by supporters over the years saw the balance in the fund grow to over $7,000.  During the same timeframe, the GFA expended over $3,000 toward truck repair, restoration and storage expenses.  

The impact of this vehicle was evident during Goshen’s 225^thcelebration in 2006 and then again in 2008 when the apparatus was on hand for the celebratory ‘wet down’ of our new 2008 Darley fire engine.  These occasions provided a venue where the town’s people stopped to share stories with GFA members and thank them for their dedication and years of service.

Tradition and firefighting go hand in hand.  Several of the town’s firefighters are second-generation members.  The preservation of the antique truck often falls to the senior members of the department and tradition continues to pass this responsibility on to the next generation of firefighters.  The preservation of the antique fire truck is an integral part of Goshen firefighting.  We hope that this antique will help the Goshen Fire Department to recruit and retain volunteers from junior firefighters through more senior firefighters who are past retirement age.