History
of the Dunkirk Volunteer Fire Department
The
Dunkirk Volunteer Fire Department (Calvert County Station 5) was officially
established in May of 1975 as a substation of the North Beach Volunteer
Fire Department. Dunkirk began running with two engines, one brush truck
and two ambulances. The engines were 51, a Peirce, and engine 53, a Ford.
The brush truck was a Ford pickup and ran as 55. The ambulances were 58
and 59. When the station began, the top runners typically had credit for
between 50-100 calls per year. The first Chief of DVFD was Ray Hardesty,
and the first President was Vonzell Ward. The Line of Officers was as follows: |
Board
of Directors
Arden Wood Chairman of the Board
Vonzell Ward President
Herbert King Vice-President
Larry Whittington Treasurer
Richard Meador Secretary
Robert Gibson Board Member
Murray Watson Board Member
|
Rescue
Officers
James King, Jr. Captain
Charles Wood Lieutenant
Staff
Officers
Chris
McNally Chief Engineer
Harvey Gates Deputy Engineer |
Line
Officers
Raymond Hardesty Chief
Dave Chaney Assistant Chief
Randy Smith Captain
Mike Lojacono Lieutenant
Doug Bartholomew Sergeant
|
On
October 19, 1982, the Membership Committee announced these
members as the charter members: |
| Robert
Gibson |
Dave
Chaney |
Steven
Chaney |
| Ray
Hardesty |
Murry
Watson |
Clifton
Whittington |
| Larry
Whittington |
Arden
Wood |
Leonard
Jones, Jr. |
| Dale
Hall |
Joseph
Swann |
Thomas
Wilderson |
| Billy
Walker |
James
Leroy King |
Gene
Shoemaker |
| Do |
Joseph
Willey |
Robert
Lang |
| James
Hardin |
Maurice
Hall |
Thomas
Kidwell |
| Charles
Walton |
Thomas
Battaglia |
Richard
Mister |
| Raymond
Gibson |
Gerald
Donovan |
Jack
Dorsey, Sr. |
| Jack
Dorsey, Sr |
Tom
Ford |
John
Gott |
| Ralph
Ovelett |
Mark
Nebl |
Charles
Gott |
| Billy
Croson |
Leroy
Hutchins |
|
When
Dunkirk became independent of the North Beach Volunteer Fire
Department, the Charter Members of the Dunkirk Volunteer Fire
Department were announced as: |
| Doug
Bartholomew |
Arden
Wood |
Steven
Chaney |
| Steve
Chaney |
Craig
Carver |
Clifton
Whittington |
| Lee
Fraizer |
Ken
Cory |
Richard
Flemming |
| Higley
Harmon |
Robert
Gibson |
Ray
Hardesty |
| Thomas
Kidwell |
Ricky
Hawkins |
Loenard
Jones |
| Lee
King |
Herbert
King, Sr. |
Herbert
King, Jr. |
| Mark
Leser |
Billy
Kuhn |
Robert
Lang |
| Ronald
Meador |
Mike
Lajocono |
Richard
Meador |
| David
Smith |
Robert
Osbourn |
Mark
Rynn |
| Billy
Walker |
Randy
Smith |
Laurie
Trott |
| Gilbert
Watson |
Nathan
Ward |
Charles
Wood |
| Larry
Wittington |
Murray
Watson |
Vonzzell
Ward |
| Joseph
Willey |
|
|
|
Dunkirk split from the North Beach Volunteer Department in 1982,
and today has over 100 active and probationary members. The station
runs two engines, a tanker, a rescue pumper, a brush truck, two
ambulances and two command units. |
|
| Engine
51 1991 E-One 1500 GPM 750 Gallons |
| Engine
52 1998 Seagrave 1500 GPM 750 Gallons |
| Tanker
5 1991 Freightliner 1250 GPM 3,000 Gallons |
| Rescue
5 1991 E-One 750 GPM 500 Gallons |
| Brush
5 1986 Cheverolet |
| Ambulance
58 1996 Med-Tech |
| Ambulance
59 1995 Med-Tech |
| Incident
Command 1993 Cheverolet Suburban |
| Incident
Command 2000 GMC Yukon |
Dunkirk has recently contracted with Seagrave to
purchase a new Rescue Pumper, which will support an Amkus Ultimate system
and will pump 1250 gallons per minute with a tank that holds 500 gallons
of water and 30 gallons of foam. This new Rescue Pumper is expected to
be in service March of 2003. Dunkirk is also awaiting a new brush truck,
a new utility and a new incident command unit. In September, Dunkirk will
move into their long-awaited new firehouse, which is located on West Ward
Road, approximately 2/10th's of a mile away from their current location.
Dunkirk now responds to approximately 1,900 to 2,300 calls per year. |
|
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