Tappan
New York
Add an Article
Add an Event
Edit
Volunteer Fire Association of Tappan
The Volunteer Fire Association of Tappan, NY, established March 28, 1907, provides fire protection for the Tappan Fire District. Tappan is an Unincorporated Hamlet located in the Town of Orangetown in Rockland County, New York. The Fire Association is an all-volunteer, non-profit organization made up of men and women who live or work in Tappan and the surrounding communities.
History:
At the beginning of the twentieth century, residents of Tappan, NY began to discuss the need of forming a fire brigade or company. Until this time, neighbors were expected to lend a hand whenever fire threatened people or property. Bucket brigades would be formed and water was taken from a nearby cistern, stream or pond. Since 1901, Sparkill’s newly-formed John Paulding Engine Co. was always available to come to the aid of Tappan residents and business people. By early 1907, these solutions were in need of improvement. Tappan was growing rapidly in population and the old family-to-family connections that had been present in our hamlet since 1686 were disappearing. Without an organization, we could not feel sure that men would turn out to help, since many of them now commuted by train to New York City.
An organizational meeting of interested residents was held at the '76 House on February 6, 1907. Temporary chairman Macey Demming was selected to lead the men in getting organized. He appointed a by-laws committee and apparatus committee to begin with. It was decided that the interest existed among the men to proceed and further organizational meetings were called for February 20 and 27. Any man signing on as inactive or active at these meetings, and most importantly paid up in dues, would be considered a “charter member.” At the February 20 meeting, Mr. Nelson Goodsell was selected as president and a slate of house officers was elected. The apparatus committee recommended that we form as a hook and ladder fire company and the membership agreed. After the February 20 business meeting ended, the “active” members then met to select Harry Post as the first foreman. On March 6, he resigned for personal reasons and James Ottignon, his 1st assistant, took over as foreman. The group also decided to incorporate right away and selected the name Volunteer Fire Association of Tappan, Inc. This was granted by NY State on March 28, 1907.
The grounds committee secured a temporary building on Washington Lane that we could use as a firehouse until we found a permanent home. It was a former blacksmith shop owned by a Mrs. Van Blarcom. We got the building rent free until either we moved or she rented it out. This is where the bazaar was held annually in the month of July from 1907-1910. The north wall foundation of this building can still be seen on Washington Lane directly behind the dentist office. In June of 1907, this committee came to the meeting floor with two separate offers for land to build a firehouse.
In June of 1908, the fire company petitioned the Rockland County Board of Supervisors to create the Tappan Fire District from the boundaries of Tappan School District #5. The reason we did this was that there existed a law that a fire company was due two-percent of the fire insurance premiums paid to foreign (out-of-state) insurance companies by property owners in their area. However, a defined district was a requirement of the law. In 1911, the Tappan Fire District was created and the first commissioners were Daniel J. Mack, Harry N. Post, William Wilson, Charles Pike, and Albert W. Burton. They were voted in on May 4, 1911 for terms ranging from one through five years.
Forty-seven years later, it is very obvious that these men knew exactly what they were doing. We have grown in every way since then. The fire department is blessed with many talented and dedicated individuals. The residents and businesses of the Tappan Fire District are professionally protected by these well-trained people and should be very proud of them. Recently, we have changed our by-laws to allow younger firefighters in at age sixteen and we have a couple of female firefighters. We are especially proud of the fact that in our company we have representatives of many cultural, religious, and racial backgrounds. We have just come through a period of tremendous growth in membership and have about a seventy percent retention rate with those new members.
Also, for the first time since 1908, the Volunteer Fire Association of Tappan purchased real estate in the year 2000. We bought the former gas station across the Sparkill from our headquarters on Washington Street so that we would have future parking and expansion space. We were able to take this blighted parcel of land and turn it into something to be proud of. We in this day and age hope that by doing this, we are planning for those that come after us, just as the past members of our fire department have done for us.
History:
At the beginning of the twentieth century, residents of Tappan, NY began to discuss the need of forming a fire brigade or company. Until this time, neighbors were expected to lend a hand whenever fire threatened people or property. Bucket brigades would be formed and water was taken from a nearby cistern, stream or pond. Since 1901, Sparkill’s newly-formed John Paulding Engine Co. was always available to come to the aid of Tappan residents and business people. By early 1907, these solutions were in need of improvement. Tappan was growing rapidly in population and the old family-to-family connections that had been present in our hamlet since 1686 were disappearing. Without an organization, we could not feel sure that men would turn out to help, since many of them now commuted by train to New York City.
An organizational meeting of interested residents was held at the '76 House on February 6, 1907. Temporary chairman Macey Demming was selected to lead the men in getting organized. He appointed a by-laws committee and apparatus committee to begin with. It was decided that the interest existed among the men to proceed and further organizational meetings were called for February 20 and 27. Any man signing on as inactive or active at these meetings, and most importantly paid up in dues, would be considered a “charter member.” At the February 20 meeting, Mr. Nelson Goodsell was selected as president and a slate of house officers was elected. The apparatus committee recommended that we form as a hook and ladder fire company and the membership agreed. After the February 20 business meeting ended, the “active” members then met to select Harry Post as the first foreman. On March 6, he resigned for personal reasons and James Ottignon, his 1st assistant, took over as foreman. The group also decided to incorporate right away and selected the name Volunteer Fire Association of Tappan, Inc. This was granted by NY State on March 28, 1907.
The grounds committee secured a temporary building on Washington Lane that we could use as a firehouse until we found a permanent home. It was a former blacksmith shop owned by a Mrs. Van Blarcom. We got the building rent free until either we moved or she rented it out. This is where the bazaar was held annually in the month of July from 1907-1910. The north wall foundation of this building can still be seen on Washington Lane directly behind the dentist office. In June of 1907, this committee came to the meeting floor with two separate offers for land to build a firehouse.
In June of 1908, the fire company petitioned the Rockland County Board of Supervisors to create the Tappan Fire District from the boundaries of Tappan School District #5. The reason we did this was that there existed a law that a fire company was due two-percent of the fire insurance premiums paid to foreign (out-of-state) insurance companies by property owners in their area. However, a defined district was a requirement of the law. In 1911, the Tappan Fire District was created and the first commissioners were Daniel J. Mack, Harry N. Post, William Wilson, Charles Pike, and Albert W. Burton. They were voted in on May 4, 1911 for terms ranging from one through five years.
Forty-seven years later, it is very obvious that these men knew exactly what they were doing. We have grown in every way since then. The fire department is blessed with many talented and dedicated individuals. The residents and businesses of the Tappan Fire District are professionally protected by these well-trained people and should be very proud of them. Recently, we have changed our by-laws to allow younger firefighters in at age sixteen and we have a couple of female firefighters. We are especially proud of the fact that in our company we have representatives of many cultural, religious, and racial backgrounds. We have just come through a period of tremendous growth in membership and have about a seventy percent retention rate with those new members.
Also, for the first time since 1908, the Volunteer Fire Association of Tappan purchased real estate in the year 2000. We bought the former gas station across the Sparkill from our headquarters on Washington Street so that we would have future parking and expansion space. We were able to take this blighted parcel of land and turn it into something to be proud of. We in this day and age hope that by doing this, we are planning for those that come after us, just as the past members of our fire department have done for us.