SALAMANCA — This year is an important milestone in the history of Salamanca’s fire department — not only is 2023 the 100th anniversary of the community’s most devastating fire but it’s also the centennial of the creation of a paid city department.
Mayor Sandra Magiera on Oct. 11 proclaimed October as Salamanca Fire Department Month to honor and remember past firefighters who have given their time and dedication to the community, express gratitude to those who have served in this line of work and show support and appreciation for those who presently serve.
“Firefighters follow a long line of tradition and honor that inspires them to help colleagues, neighbors and strangers alike,” the mayor said.
At a moment’s notice, Magiera said, firefighters are quick to respond to uncertain situations, to mitigate danger and to combat the threat of destructive fire in order to protect individuals, families and the economic being of the community.
The mayor also said the demands of firefighting are accompanied by both personal and physical tolls that all firefighters knowingly accept while risking their lives to protect the lives of others.
“I encourage all citizens to show support and appreciation to our city firefighters and EMS who protect our lives and property so diligently throughout the year and by remembering past firefighters who dedicated their lives to preserve our safety,” she added.
Magiera presented Fire Chief Tom Sturdevant and Assistant Fire Chief Brandon Smith with the official proclamation and a statuette commemorating the 100th anniversary.
The paid city fire department was founded in April 1923 with the Common Council passing the measure May 7. The city previously relied on 200 volunteers in seven fire companies across Salamanca. Then-Mayor Henry F. McCann had been urging the city to dispense with its volunteer force and replace it with five paid firemen, assuring everyone that 80 volunteers would be kept on to supplement the professional team.
Less than three months later, Salamanca became an inferno on July 21, 1923, after an unsupervised fire began to spread out of control. The fire ravaged Salamanca’s business district on the south end of Main Street. When the inferno was finally extinguished early the next day, it destroyed 20 businesses, 16 residences, 237 automobiles and 92 wagons and left 400 people homeless.
“The History of Salamanca,” written by Albert Maier in 1980, states Salamanca’s first volunteer fire department was organized in 1878, with Charles R. Gibson as its fire chief. Following the fire of 1880, which destroyed most of the buildings on Main Street, it was evident that more firefighters were needed.
As a result, the following volunteer companies were organized: Salamanca Steamer Co. No. 1, Columbia Hook and Ladder, Abbott Hose Co. (whose runners and couplers still held the world’s record as of 1939), Brooklyn Hose Co., Forness Hose Co., Wildwild Hose Co. and, later, Fancher Hose Co., Erie Railroad Hose Co. and B.R.C.P. Hose Co.
Today’s paid department — led by Chief Sturdevant, who was permanently appointed in 2022 — consists of highly-trained individuals including assistant chiefs Edwin Fredrickson, Daniel Kruszynski, William Porter, William Smith, Brandon Smith and Travis Whitehouse along with firefighters Christopher Campbell, Dylan Davis, Christopher Dowd, Joseph Gray, Kyle Gross, Courtney James, Harley Kettle, Matthew Paonessa, Irvin Robinson, Thomas Southwick and Patrick Steffan.