Dryden Fire Department

By Jaxyn Boyce

Formerly, the Village of Dryden was established in 1857 with a total of nine hundred and nine acres of land. A board of trustees was appointed for ensuring the safety and sanitation of the community. Due to a fire that occurred on February seventh, 1874 that led to the destruction of the Methodist Church, a hand pump fire engine was purchased from the city of Auburn. On January thirteenth, 1875, a man by the name of W.W.

Kennedy was nominated as the Chief Engineer of the Fire Department. Without delay in the year 1877, the Resolute Fire Engine company was formed. To fund the equipment and workers, festivals were held. Then in October of 1877, the Neptune Hose Company Number One was created and firefighters were named the “Hose Boys.” This is a private company and originally the citizens were responsible for safeguarding the locals.

Located at 26 North Street, this is a volunteer operation. The fire department receives approximately two-hundred calls annually. It is separate from Dryden Ambulance in some aspects but works closely with them. Every day is different, but one thing that remains the same is their dedication to shielding individuals from danger. Also, weekly truck inspections are a serious matter and occur every Wednesday night. As part of the requirements from NFPA and OSHA, recurrent training is mandatory as well as a level of minimal training required for personnel. 

Notably, the Dryden Fire Department has community outreach where they invite the public to learn more. Open House events for the public are held twice per year where the fire trucks and ambulances are on display. Department members show and explain the equipment. In addition, there is alarm and extinguisher training, along with other demonstrations. With this in mind, annually there is the National Fire Prevention Week devoted to spreading safety knowledge. Upcoming, October 8th, will be the next open house. Anyone interested in volunteering is provided information for recruitment in New York. In the past there have been the annual Fire academy for young people to learn about all aspects of fire fighting as well as ambulance equipment. Other events in the past have been chicken barbeques and bingo to gather funds and donations. Significantly, the town of Dryden has a contract with the 501 C Company for monetary purposes as well. These collective firefighters are memorable for their unwavering commitment and loyalty to this town and the people who reside in it. For more information, they can be reached at (607)-844-8124, or by email at info@dryden.org.