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Hisory of the Mount Rainier Volunteer Fire Department
Mount Rainier, Maryland is a suburb that shares a border with the
northeast portion of Washington, DC. In 1910,
development in Mt. Rainier, Maryland concentrated near the streetcar
station at the intersection of Rhode Island Avenue and 34th Street. The
area surrounding the station became the community's downtown, with
buildings housing both shops and their owners. In an
effort to secure better service for their growing suburb, a group of
early residents banded together to pursue the idea of incorporating
the Town. The citizens petitioned the Maryland State
Legislature, and the Town was incorporated by Charter granted on
April 14, 1910. The
census shows the population at the time of incorporation at 1,242
residents, a 2,384% increase from the 50 residents just eight years
earlier.
Less
than a year after Mt. Rainier was formally incorporated, many of the
same enterprising citizens, who were instrumental and responsible
for that monumental achievement, met in the kitchen of the home of
Mr. John H. Klein (Klein's Bakery), who lived at 34th Street and
Bunker Hill Road. In February, 1911, the Mt. Rainier Volunteer Fire
Department was created. Among those present at this
meeting were John H. Klein, William H. Vanneman, Frank H. Crown,
Robert Coward, M. C. Harmon, Ben Herron, and others. Officers
were elected at this meeting for a 1-year term, and the records show
them to be William Henry Vanneman, Chief (also a Town Councilman);
John H. Klein, Deputy Chief; M. C. Harmon, Secretary; and Ben
Herron, Treasurer. William Vanneman resigned as Chief in 1913 when
he was elected Mayor of Mt. Rainier. John Klein then became Chief.
From contributions of the members and other residents, a down payment on a hand-drawn chemical tank was made and is shown in the above photo. The total cost of this equipment was $250, the down payment being $80. Within a year, the organization acquired a lot at 34th and Shepherd Streets and work began on a frame building from material donated by Yost and Herral, W. P. Magruder, and Charles H. Lightbown, with the labor to erect the building being done on a voluntary basis.
The
Lady Maccabees gave a recital, the proceeds of which, amounting to
$80, were used to cover the cost of a bell, which served as a means
of alarm for a number of years. The bell was installed
in the cupola of the Fire Department building. It now
resides in the Bunker Hill Fire Station.
The year 1915 saw a tremendous leap forward for the Mt. Rainier Vol.
Fire Department, as it purchased and converted a Knox automobile
into a hose wagon and placed this piece of equipment into service. This
was the first motorized equipment in Prince George's County. A
Model T Ford Chemical Truck was purchased the same year, and in 1917
another Model T was bought as a hose wagon.
In addition to William H. Vanneman and John H. Klein, early Chiefs
of the Mt. Rainier Volunteer Fire Department included Francis
"Frank" H. Crown, Sr., George A. Tovey,
and Julius Reiners.
In 1922, John Klein's dining room once again was the beginning of an
era in history, for it was there that the Prince George's County
Firemen's Association was formed and organized. Members
of four departments - Hyattsville, Cottage City, Mt. Rainier, and
Brentwood - met in the same place where the Mt. Rainier Vol. Fire
Department was organized and created the Association for the benefit
of disseminating knowledge and education, and the added strength
achieved through a mutual unity of purpose. The
organizing member companies drew numbers from a hat to decide their
company numbers in this order: Company 1 - Hyattsville, Company 2 -
Cottage City, Company 3 - Mt. Rainier, and Company 4 - Brentwood. From
then on, each member company was assigned its number as it joined
the Association.
The Mount Rainier Vol. Fire Department was never an organization
that rested long on its laurels or hesitated to
undertake
another step forward in the interest of progress. In
fact, it was said that if you wanted a project to succeed, get the
Fire Department behind it and half the battle is over. In
1925, the members of the Department undertook to erect a brick
building in front of the old frame one it had been using since 1911. That
monument to volunteer labor and civic pride in our community was the
main part of the fire station used until 2003. Once
again, the members and various public-spirited citizens pitched in
and gave Mt. Rainier a firehouse that was adequate for the City's
needs for years to come.
With a new building came the need for better equipment and, in 1926,
the Department placed in service a modern American La France pumper.
Along with all of this visible and tangible evidence of progress as
a Fire Department in a growing community, the members were quick to
realize their need for knowledge and instruction in firefighting
techniques and procedures. What better place to find this knowledge
and experience but from our neighbors to the west, Washington, DC. It
was there, in the firehouses of the District of Columbia, that the
members spent countless hours discussing their problems and gaining
experience, and made contacts that paid handsome dividends. Officers
of the DC Fire Department came to Mt. Rainier and established an
organized training program.
Not satisfied completely and always determined to take advantage of
an opportunity to gain further knowledge, members of the Fire
Department journeyed to Baltimore three nights a week where they
completed a three-month course of instruction provided by the now
defunct Baltimore City Salvage Corps.
Prior to 1929, the Fire Department was solely dependent upon dues
from the members and the proceeds of carnivals and other enterprises
conducted by the firemen. Funds were also raised by
the members by going door to door soliciting donations from the
residents.
The year 1929 saw the beginning of another era in the history of the
Department. In April of that year, the Maryland State
Legislature approved an Act authorizing the Mayor and Council to
levy and collect a tax, not to exceed ten cents per each $100 of
assessed valuation on the real property of Mt. Rainier, payable
directly to the Fire Department as long as it provided adequate fire
protection. This agreement remained in effect until
1992, when the City changed the 
Charter
and no longer gave the money to the Fire Department. Since
that time, the Fire Department has not received any financial
support from the City of Mt. Rainier, although the Fire Department
still provides more than adequate fire protection.
The need for ladders and salvage equipment soon became a necessity and, in 1930, the Department placed in service an American La France City Service Truck with a 50-foot wooden extension ladder. This piece of equipment immediately became the workhorse of the Department, and its replacements since then still share the same place in the operations of the Department.
In 1933, the Mt. Rainier Fire Department hosted the 11th Annual
Prince George's County Firemen's Convention.
The year 1935 saw the replacement of the old American La France
pumper, vintage 1926, with a new 750-gallon Seagrave single stage
pump. This piece of apparatus was used continuously by
the Department until 1956, when it was replaced and sold to the
newly formed Brandywine-Aquasco Fire Department. In
1940, the ladder truck was replaced with a modern Peter Pirsch
55-foot junior Hydraulic Aerial Ladder Truck. This was
the first Pirsch-built apparatus in the County.
In 1938, the Fire Department felt the need for a paid driver, and
James Mezzanotte was put on duty during the daylight hours, as it
was becoming increasingly difficult to always get an experienced
driver between the hours of 8 am and 6 pm. It was
reasoned that a driver, experienced with the operational functions
of the apparatus, would help make a difficult job a bit easier. When
World War II came, the members volunteered to spend at least one
night a week on duty as a safeguard against any possible sabotage. This
practice continued until 1942, when a second paid man, Richard
Moore, was hired, giving the Town of Mt. Rainier around-the-clock
personnel on duty at the Fire Station. At first,
volunteers still stood duty on Sundays during the daytime, but this
was finally supplanted by relief drivers, who served the Sunday
tours of duty in turn about every four or five weeks.
In 1949, the Department applied to the Maryland State Fire
Underwriters Association for a Class B Insurance Rating.
To comply with the standards of the Underwriters, the Department
would have to place in service an additional pumper. This
meant remodeling the fire station for the needed extra space. The
amount of $45,000 was borrowed from Citizens Bank of Riverdale on a
5-year loan. The old fire station, erected in 1925,
began to get a facelift, as well as an addition on the back and a
paved parking lot. The remodeling was completed in
July 1950, and a new V-12 Seagrave 750-gallon pumper was placed in
service. Mt. Rainier was the only community in Prince
George's County to enjoy a Class B insurance rating at that time. This
rating allowed the Department to have the lowest possible insurance
rate that a volunteer fire department could obtain for its citizens
and business establishments.
Chief Karl "Chick" A. Young,
Sr., Mt. Rainier's longest serving Fire Chief, played an important
part in the organization of a course of instruction established at
the University of Maryland in 1956. Other officers and
members of the Department also contributed to the success of this
venture. Chief Young died on November 16, 1951, and on
October 5, 1952, the new Mt. Rainier Public Library on Rhode Island
Avenue was named and dedicated in his honor.
In 1954, the debt for the fire station remodeling and new apparatus
was satisfied. It was time once again to keep the
Department and its equipment at its peak, so new apparatus was
sought. Mt. Rainier was growing even further up, since
it could no longer grow on the ground, so a new aerial truck was
ordered and put in service. It was an 82-foot ladder
truck with custom appointments made by Peter Pirsch.
Two of the largest fires in Mt. Rainier history happened in March
1955 at the Melody Dance Studio on 34th Street and in February 1963
at the Mt. Rainier Bowling Alley on Rhode Island Avenue.
In 1959, a third paid man was employed, and the Mt. Rainier Fire
Department had the distinction that year of being the only
department in Prince George's County that never failed to answer an
alarm. By 1961, the Department had 3 paid drivers plus
4 relief drivers. It also had 65 firefighters on its
membership rolls. This same year, the Department again
hosted the 39th Annual
Prince George's County Firemen's Association Convention.
In 1960, the Town of Mt. Rainier celebrated the 50th Anniversary
of its Incorporation. Fire Chief Francis "Freck" W.
Xander and his Committee were in charge of the big Anniversary
Parade. The
Parade included dignitaries, Miss Mt. Rainier Sandy Wilder and her
court, units of fire engines and ambulances, ladies' auxiliaries,
majorettes, bands, clowns, civil defense vehicles, floats, antique
autos, boy and girl scouts, boys' clubs, and thousands of spectators
on a hot afternoon.
In approximately 1960, the Future Firemen of the Mt. Rainier
Volunteer Fire Department was formed for boys 12 through 15 years
of age with 10 members under the direction of William Cissel. Others
who worked with the Future Firemen were Thomas "Pete" Alsop, Jerry
Chambers, and Clarence Booth, Sr. Barry Earl Miller
became the first member of the Department to advance from Future
Fireman
to Junior Fireman, to full-fledged Senior Fire Department member.
Back Row Left to Right: David Cissel... John Fisher III... Bill Cissel... Barry Miller... Mike Clemens... Paul Johnston
Front Row Left to Right: Mike Garrett... Elmer Hamm... Joe Hiponia... Bobby Mutchler... Lawrence Trainum
In 1969, with the realization that the community was growing upward
and that the Pirsch apparatus was aging, the Board of Directors
sought bids from the Maxim Motor Company to replace all three pieces
of equipment. A contract was signed for two new
750-GPM pumpers and a new tractor-drawn 100-foot aerial ladder
truck.
To accommodate the new apparatus, the property to the west of the
fire station was acquired, and plans were immediately drawn up to
add an addition onto the building. This addition would
house a new engine room for the Maxim apparatus, a bunkroom, and a
kitchen, with garage area below. The private house at
4104 34th Street adjacent to the fire station (owned by the late
Minnie Bower) was torn down. In February 1970,
construction began. This addition was fully completed
in December 1970. The new addition to the Firehouse is
shown at the left of the old structure in the photo below.
During the next 10-year period, with the increase of population to
our area, the Department experienced a dramatic
increase
in call demand for fire service and emergency medical services. In
1984, after 13 years of extensive service to the community, which
was evidenced by rust and signs of wear, the Board of Directors felt
it necessary to seek bids for a comprehensive rehabilitation to the
Maxim ladder truck. Mount Aetna Body Works in
Hagerstown, MD, was selected to do the job, and the truck was placed
out of service in June for the long-awaited complete overhaul. The
reason for the rehab was to comply with the new state standards for
fire apparatus. The job was finished in February 1985,
and an almost new ladder truck emerged in place of the 1970 model. It
included for the first time in the Department's history, a closed
cab on the tractor and an enclosed tiller area to protect the
driver, tiller man, and crew from the elements.
In 1985, the Mt. Rainier Fire Station had four Prince George's
County career firefighters, who supplement the
manpower
weekdays from 7 am to 4 pm. All other manpower was
still provided by the volunteers around the clock. Every
effort was made to reduce the cost of operations by having the
volunteer members contribute their time to maintenance of the
apparatus and the fire station whenever possible. There
were 40 firefighters on the membership rolls.
In 1987, the Department's EMS (Emergency Medical Service) calls had
increased and, with this increase, the Department acquired the PGCFD
ambulance service from Brentwood, and Ambulance 39 was placed in
service.
More recent Fire Chiefs of the Department were William "Bill"
Stouten Freeman (Jan. 1951-Jan. 1955); George M. Hutton (Jan.
1955-Jan. 1958); Francis "Freck" Wallace Xander (Jan. 1958- Jan.
1963); John Edward Fisher, Jr. (Jan. 1963-Jan. 1966; May 1966-Jan.
1971); James "Jimmy" O. Lampe (Jan.-Apr. 1966); John Edward Fisher,
Ill (Jan. 1971-Aug. 1972); Robert "Bobby" G. Mutchler (Aug.
1972-Jan. 1983); Lawrence "Larry" Douglas Trainum (Jan. 1983- Sept.
1992); David Floyd Morlan (Jan. 1993-Jan. 2001); Dennis James
Vermillion (Jan. 2001 - Jan. 2005); and Jason Louis Fisher (Jan.
2005-Present).
In 1998, the Volunteer Fire Department of Mt. Rainier, Inc., entered
into a consolidation agreement with Prince George's County Fire/EMS
Department, the Brentwood Volunteer Fire Department, and the Cottage
City Volunteer Fire Company. The purpose of this consolidation was
due to the fact that age, usefulness, and life expectancy of the
existing buildings of the three corporations had been reached. There
was insufficient room for daily administrative and emergency
operations. The deficiencies in the architectural and
mechanical/electrical systems of the three buildings, as well as
non-ADA
compliance,
made the fire stations unsafe and a major hindrance to the
day-to-day operations of the Fire Departments. It was
also noted that each station was within 1 mile of each other and,
therefore, a consolidation was necessary.
Prince George's County agreed to fund the construction of the new
fire station at no cost to the City of Mt. Rainier. In
1999, the County purchased properties in the 3700 Block of Rhode
Island Avenue, Mt. Rainier, including the Nation's Bank (formerly
Suburban Trust Bank). Construction was completed in
2003, and the new Bunker Hill Fire Station opened at 3716 Rhode
Island Avenue. The three volunteer fire companies
moved into the new building (Station 55) and began emergency
operations from this facility in 2004. Research on the
internet at that time revealed that, in the entire United States,
this was the first documented consolidation of three independent
volunteer fire departments joining operations under one roof. "The
Three Guardians" statue that was erected in front of the new fire
station represents the three volunteer fire companies that reside
there and provide emergency services to their communities from this
new facility. The new station serves the communities of Mt. Rainier,
Cottage City, Colmar Manor, Brentwood, and North Brentwood.
When the three volunteer fire departments moved into the Bunker Hill
Fire Station, the Prince George's County Fire Department (who owns
the building) set up rules that were to be followed by the
consolidated fire companies. The County Fire
Department stated that they only wanted one entity to contact
concerning decisions dealing with the new fire station and/or the
consolidated fire departments. In response to this
rule, the three volunteer companies got together and created an
umbrella corporation to represent the three volunteer companies and
to be their "voice" to the Prince George's County Fire Department. The
"Bunker Hill Volunteer Fire & Rescue
Association, Inc." was the name of this new corporation. Another of
the rules set forth by the County Fire Department stated that as of
the move-in date to the new fire station, none of the three
consolidated fire companies could accept new volunteer members into
their respective corporations. All new membership
candidates who came to the Bunker Hill Fire Station would become
volunteer members of the Bunker Hill Volunteer Fire & Rescue
Association, Inc. only.
Now, in 2014, in light of the last rule above about not being able
to accept new members into their respective corporations since 2004,
the membership rolls of the three consolidated volunteer companies
have dwindled considerably, and eventually, all three companies will
become extinct as a result of attrition. Only the
Bunker Hill Volunteer Fire & Rescue
Association will carry on with providing volunteer emergency
services to the surrounding communities.
The Bunker Hill Fire Station has facilities that are available to
the public and has a community room available for civic and social
events and meetings. It also has a 300-seat capacity
Social Hall available for public gatherings, such as meetings,
wedding receptions, bingo, and dances. The
first floor has an ATM machine also available for use by the public.
In January of 2012, a small and quiet celebration took place among
the remaining members of the Mt. Rainier VFD commemorating the
100-Year Anniversary of continuous service since incorporation was
granted from the State of Maryland in 1912. The
Volunteer Fire Department of Mt. Rainier, Inc. is proud of its
heritage and its service to the City of Mt. Rainier and surrounding
communities for over 100 years!
