Mendham Township Fire Department

Ralston Engine Company No. 1

Seventy Years of Community Service

Annual Dinner May 5, 2012

In Recognition

Joe Gomeringer 34 years of Service

President 1981 - 1982; 1985 - 1986; 1991 – Present Treasurer 1983 - 1984; 1987 - 1990

Opening by Master of Ceremonies

– Joe Gomeringer

Invocation – Reverend Father Michael Drury

Introductions Honored Guests Women’s Auxiliary Executive Officers

– Joe Gomeringer

Line Officers Truck Captains

– Chief Tom Montgomery

Presentation of Awards

Service Recognition - Years of Service

Joe Gomeringer 34 years

Scott Mortensen 30 years

Eric Grier 25 years

Service Recognition - Years of Service

Mike Yamashita 25 years

Dan Ely 15 years

Nancy Nadaskay 10 years

Outstanding 2011 Service

GREATER THAN 100 CALLS Bill Grier 141 calls

GREATER THAN 50 CALLS Tom Montgomery 85 calls Curran Lucke 77 calls Aaron Strubel 73 calls Paul Hogan 66 calls Kyle Wood 51 calls

Dinner

Slide Show

Closing – Joe Gomeringer

2012 Officers

Line Officers

Chief – Tom Montgomery Deputy Chief – John McDonough Captain – Scott Mortensen Lieutenant – Paul Hogan

Executive Officers

President and Treasurer – Joe Gomeringer Vice-President – Gary Russell Recording Secretary – John Bond

Apparatus Captains

Ralston Engine 11 – Scott Mortensen Ralston Tanker 12 – Eric Grier Ralston Rescue 14 – Curran Lucke

Active and Associate Members

John Bond

Dan Ely

Robert Fox

Joseph Gomeringer

Eric Grier

Bill Grier

Paul Hogan

Curran Lucke

John McDonough

Sean McDonough

Tom Montgomery

Scott Mortensen

Bill Myer

Nancy Nadaskay

Howard Panton

Gary Russell

Aaron Strubel

Mike Yamashita

Leif Catania - Junior Member

Apparatus Engine 11

1992 Pierce Lance 1,750 GPM Class A pumper; 1,250 gal booster tank; 3,000 feet LDH 28 ft. extension ladder; 16 ft. roof ladder and 10 ft. attic ladder

Tanker 12 2002 Pierce/Kenworth 4,000 gallon capacity Tanker; 500 GPM auxiliary pump Part of the Northern Mutual Aid Assoc. - Tanker Task Force

Rescue 14 1999 Pierce/International 25 Kw Generator, Light Tower; MVA extrication & stabilization tools

Life Members and Years of Service

Fred Vanacore − 56 years Retired

Jim Crammer − 50 years Retired

Bill Grier − 47 years

Louis Trummel − 44 years Retired

Joseph Gomeringer − 34 years

Howard Panton − 32 years

Scott Mortensen − 30 years

Fred C. Beavers − 30 years Retired

John H. Alderton IV − 30 years

Joe Hefner − 29 years Retired

Eric Grier − 25 years

Mike Yamashita − 25 years

Roy Levine − 24 years LOA

Rob Hendershot − 21 years Retired

Dan Gallagher − 20 years Retired

Paul Hogan − 17 years

John Bond − 16 years

Dan Ely – 15 years

Kim Kaupp – 14 LOA

Roland Langner – 14 LOA

John McDonough - 14

Sean McDonough - 14

Tom Montgomery - 14

Gary Russell – 14

Bill Myer – 13 years

Nancy Nadaskay – 10 years

Company Chaplain

– Reverend Michael J. Drury

Company Physician

– Leslie D. Schlessinger, M.D.

Mendham Township Fire/First Aid Committee

– Frank V. Cioppettini, Jr., Chair

Charter Members Floyd Ader Francis X. Backer Joseph L. Backer Charles Baker Dr. R.L. Bannister Charles Bentz Peter J. Booy Frank Callahan Vincent Calicchio Edward J. Fagan John J. Flynn Samuel Fornaro Edward S. Gardner C.M. Groenewegen John McClellan Henry H. Meyers Robert D. Miller

Hugh Nesbitt Justin P. Nesbitt William O'Brien Francis L. Paige Edward A. Parmele D.B. Peckham John Potter Karl Reiss Eric Ruckelshaus Edison Skinner Otto Snedaker Frank E. Swain John Taylor John J. Thomas Victor L. Tiger Charles H. Towne

Past Fire Chiefs 1942 – 1946 Joseph L. Backer 1947 – 1947 Vincent A. Calicchio 1948 – 1948 Otto T. Snedaker 1949 – 1950 Walter A. Schaller 1951 – 1951 Walter A. Fischer 1952 – 1953 Kenneth M. Andrews 1954 – 1955 C.M. Groenewegen 1956 – 1956 Edward W. Roessler 1957 – 1957 L. Victor Tiger 1958 – 1959 William F. Grier Jr. 1960 – 1961 Neil Groenewegen 1962 – 1963 Dominick Taquinto 1964 – 1964 Al Brancati 1964 – 1965 Russell L. Carter 1966 – 1967 Walter S. Lewis 1968 – 1969 Willard A. Kagan 1970 – 1971 Carl C. Edens

1972 – 1973 Benjamin S. Bomhoff 1974 – 1975 Carl H. Bergelt 1976 – 1977 William F. Grier III 1978 – 1979 Christian Davidson 1980 – 1981 Thomas K. Smith Jr. 1982 – 1983 William F. Grier III 1984 – 1985 John H. Alderton IV 1986 – 1987 Carl T. Edens 1988 – 1989 J. Scott Mortensen 1990 – 1991 John R. Davis 1992 – 1993 Andrew Mills 1994 – 1995 William F. Grier III 1996 – 1997 Eric Grier 1998 – 1999 J. Scott Mortensen 2000 – 2001 William F. Grier III 2002 − 2003 Paul Hogan

Ralston Engine Company No. 1 - Women’s Auxiliary

Amy Bond

Bonnie Montgomery

Connie Bardes *

Constance Vanacore - Vice President

Debbie Brito *

Dolores Crammer *

Gail Lingerman

Gay Carole Grier - Corresponding Secretary

Jane Ikeda *

Jennifer Gallagher -Treasurer

Jennifer Kaupp

Kathleen McDonough

Kelly Mazzocchi - Recording Secretary

Kitty Devore *

Lil Yamashita *

Lisa Brown *

Margaret Hogan *

Marlene Russell *

Marlys Lewis *

Mary Claire Gomeringer

Shirley Grier *

Stacy Ann Grier *

Sue Piscitello *

Terri Gordon *

Terry Nist *

Tracey Cellitti - President

Willow Hahn *

* - Sustaining Member

Company History On September 10, 1942, 26 citizens of the Ralston area of Mendham Township held the organizational meeting at the old Ralston Post Office. The world situation in the early 1940’s spurred the action of these citizens and a resolution was passed by the Township Committee on September 14, 1942, The first equipment was 6 Indian pumps, 12 brooms, 5 fire pails and 15 fireman’s outfits. The site of the original fire house was picked out by the site committee. 1942

− Company founded on September 10, 1942 − The company obtained its first vehicle, a 1928 American

LaFrance Chemical Truck equipped with 40 gallon soda-acid tanks.

Because of the lack of a firehouse for the first few years the chemicals were kept in the basement of the old General Store.

1943

− The company joined the N.J. State Fireman’s Relief Association.

1944 − Lemoyne Page’s

garage was altered for use by the fire engine

1946 − The Colville Horticultural Service installed a 300 gallon booster

tank on the truck. In order to develop the required speed for the pump, an automotive transmission was installed backwards between the pump and the engine.

1947 − The Women’s Auxiliary was formed − The first children’s Christmas party was held

− Work began on the first Ralston Fire House

1948

− The American LaFrance Chemical Truck was replaced by a 1930 Mack 1000 GPM Pumper costing $ 960

1949 − The Ralston Firehouse, built largely by volunteers, was dedicated

1952

− The company purchased a GM Tank Truck, which carried 600 gallons and had a 300 GPM pump. The cost was $11,800

−

1958 − Land the current Firehouse occupies was purchased by Mendham

Township − Two way communications installed on both trucks, funded by the

Women’s Auxiliary 1959

− Ford Pumper obtained to replace the Mack. It carried 500 gallons and pumped 500 GPM – cost $11,800

1966

− Ralston Engine Company No. 1 was incorporated

1972 − The “Yellow Bird” , a 750 Gallon used pumper was delivered at a

cost of $45,000

1973 − Ground broken for the new Firehouse

1974

− The new Firehouse dedicated

1975

− The first pancake breakfast was held on March 16th with between 500 and 600 attending

1976

− Ford Brush Truck delivered at a cost of $11,371. 1981

− Truck 12 (17-71) a 2100 gallon Grumman tanker/ pumper was purchased for $151,000

1983

− Twelve sets of new turn-out gear were purchased at a cost of a little over $4,000

1986

− Four new breathing apparatus (one hour SCBA’s) were purchased 1992

− Engine 17-61 was delivered on April 17th, It is a Pierce 1250 gal class a pumper costing $242,000

1999 − 17-86 Rescue was purchased for $ 155,000 - $110,000 was paid

by the Township and $45,000 was funded by Company donations 2001

− Ralston members joined other Emergency Services staffing Waterfront Triage in Jersey City on September 11

2002

− 15 FD Departments attend the Art of Reading Smoke Course presented by Denver FD Battalion Chief, Dave Dodson sponsored by Ralston and Brookside.

− Tanker/ Pumper 17-71 (Truck 12) replaced by a Pierce 4000 gal Tanker costing $ 260,000

2004

− Completed the first major renovation in 20 years of the fire house second floor event room using private donations

2005 − Held the first Community Fire Safety Fair at the Ralston Fire

House

2006

− Purchased a Cascade System for the company with private donations

− Participated with Brookside Engine Company in 2 day live burn training at Marshalls Creek, PA

2009 − Ralston and Brookside conducted a joint fire drill in the

petro-chemical fire pit at the Morris County Fire Academy

2010

− Completed major body and tank repairs on Engine 11 2011

− Additional private donations used to refurbish on the Fire House kitchen completing renovation of the second floor

− The Company attended 9/11 10th anniversary ceremonies with FDNY Engine 54, Truck 4

− Responded to 210 calls in 2011