History
The Vigilant Hose Company is the oldest active fire company in Shippensburg, dating back to February 22, 1843. A charter was granted for the Vigilant Fire Company on February 14, 1844. On June 26, 1899 an application for Charter of Corporation was made to the Court of Common Pleas in Cumberland County under the name Vigilant Hose Company Of Shippensburg.
On August 16, 1860 the first new piece of fire apparatus ever operated in the borough of Shippensburg arrived by rail. The second-class Button hand engine was described as handsome in appearance. The engine was assigned to the Vigilant Fire Company.
When the Borough installed water works in 1878 the Vigilants purchased a hand reel and wagon to carry the hose.
In 1919 Borough Council purchased for the Vigilants the first piece of motorized apparatus in the borough of Shippensburg. This was a Ford chemical and hose engine. The increased fleet of motorized apparatus had out grown the old Council House, and in 1928 the Council House was torn down and replaced with a new two story brick building known as the Municipal Building. This building, like its predecessor, also housed the Borough offices and the Police Department.
On September 18, 1931 a 500 GPM Seagrave pumper was purchased by the company and on January 1, 1932, fire protection was extended to the rural areas surrounding Shippensburg. M. Garfield Barbour was named the first rural fire chief, a position he would hold until 1958. He also served as President from 1918 to 1958.
December 16, 1949 at the Vigilant Hose Company’s regular monthly meeting the members voted to purchase a 1949 International, 1,000-gallon tank truck. This was the first tanker to be used in the Shippensburg area.
Several membership changes were seen during the 1960’s. A Junior Member program was started on December 18, 1961; young men between the age of 16 and 18 were allowed to join the Vigilants as junior members. And ladies became involved with the formation of a Ladies Auxiliary on April 27, 1964.
The Vigilant Hose Company Station 2 was opened in Walnut Bottom, Pa. on June 20, 1966. A 1948 Seagrave pumper was purchased from Hummelstown, Pa. and placed in service at Station 2 on December 18, 1967. In May of 1976 station 2 separated from the Vigilant Hose Company to become the South Newton Township Volunteer Fire Company.
On October 3, 1976 Borough Council purchased a new International 1250 GPM pumper, built by the Bruco Company, for use in the Borough, this engine replaced the 1950 Seagrave “Quad”. This pumper was the first in the Shippensburg area to carry 4” supply line and the first to be painted lime-yellow, a color the Company would use for the next 23 years.
April 27, 1977 saw the formation of a bunkroom to decrease the response time and to provide manpower for the medical assist program that was started in June of 1977.
On October 17, 1977 at the Vigilant Hose Company’s regular monthly meeting two females were accepted into the company for the first time. Dolores Myers was accepted as an active member and Doris Wik, honorary. Two more women applied for membership at the same meeting.
In 1986 the Cumberland County Hazardous Materials Team suggested that Squad 52 be made into a communications vehicle for the county’s Special Hazards Operation Team (S.H.O.T. Team). With the addition of County provided equipment, $500 of Vigilant provided equipment and a new paint job; Squad 52 became known as Haz-Mat 52. The Vigilants involvement with the County S.H.O.T. Team lasted through 2009.
On June 30, 1987 Charles E. Myers, Chief of the Vigilant Hose Company served his last day as chief of the company. Charlie held the position for 19 ½ years. Charlie joined the Vigilants in 1962 and became assistant chief in 1965. He became chief on July 1, 1967 and held the position since then with the exception of 1976 when Gerald Holtry served for one year. At the annual firefighter’s banquet on November 7, 1987, Charles E. Myers was named Vigilant Hose Company Chief Emeritus in appreciation of his numerous years of service. He joined the Vigilants on June 18, 1962 and was involved in the forest fire service for 2 years prior to this. He has dedicated his life to this department and has served as Fire Chief, Assistant Fire Chief, Assistant Borough Fire Chief, Founder of the Shippensburg Fire Safety Task Force and the Vigilant Hose Fire Prevention 4-H Club.
In March of 1984 the Vigilants looked into the future and purchased land near the intersection of Route 11 and Shippensburg Mobile Estates, from Frank Holler, with the intention of erecting a social hall and possible fire station.
On September 17, 1988 the Vigilants joined with the Cumberland Valley Hose Company No. 2 of Shippensburg to build a joint social hall to support our bingo and other fundraising activities. This joint venture broke ground on the northwest corner of West Orange Street and Seneca Avenue on July 2, 1991 to build the Shippensburg Firefighter’s Activities Center (SFAC). The building was dedicated August 16, 1992.
The Borough of Shippensburg transferred ownership of the Municipal Building on East King Street to the Vigilant Hose Company on March 23, 1993. This building was not designed to house today’s apparatus and the Vigilants had long ago outgrown it.
In March a 1999 E-One Cyclone II arrived. With a 1500 GPM pump and 500 gallon water tank Engine 152 was placed in service April 17, 1999. This engine marked the end of the lime-yellow used since 1976 and reintroduced the red and cream colors of the 1950’s, 60’s and early 70’s.
After year of talking about it a committee was formed in February of 2002 to see if any other fire department in the borough was interested in building a joint station. By October the only interest was from Shippensburg Area EMS.
Several sites were studied before the summer of 2008 when the old University Lodge location was considered. The property at the intersection of Walnut Bottom Road and East Orange Street had been labeled a blighted property by the Cumberland County Redevelopment Authority.
In October of 2008 the newly formed building committee met with SGS Architects, of Carlisle, to develop a plan to move towards construction of a new facility. In September of 2009 Chandler Associates of Camp Hill were contracted to begin a Capital Campaign for the new station. That December Brechbill and Helman Construction was brought on as General Contractor. On August 2, 2010 a ceremony was held at the site to begin the process of demolishing the old abandoned hotel. By late spring of 2011 financing was secured and on June 30, 2011 Vigilant Hose Company and Shippensburg EMS members and local dignitaries broke ground to begin construction of the Shippensburg Emergency Services Building.
Construction began in August 2011 and continued through May of 2012. On September 13th the bell at 129 East King Street was removed from the belfry just two days after it rang to commemorate the tenth anniversary of the September 11, 2001 terror attacks. The bell was restored by life member Larry Kerns and would eventually go on display in the main lobby on the first floor.
On June 16, 2012, members old and new, family members and friends gathered on the ramp at the station on East King for a ceremony to officially place the station out of service. At 1:00 PM the station at 129 East King Street was placed permanently out of service. Members lead a march south on Prince Street followed by all the apparatus, turning onto East Orange Street and we were on our way to our new home. Once at the Shippensburg Emergency Services Building speeches were spoken, ribbons were cut and apparatus was ceremonially pushed into the bays and the Vigilant Hose Company began a new chapter in its history.
In the following weeks the old station was emptied and at 4:00 PM on October 1, 2012 our old neighbor, the First Church of God, purchased the building for future use.
At a ceremony in the Multipurpose Room at the SESB on March 4, 2013 the Central Pennsylvania Chapter of the U. S. Green Building Council presented the Shippensburg Emergency Services Building with LEED Silver Certification. The SESB is the first public safety building in Pennsylvania to receive LEED silver.
At the annual Company banquet in March 2018, J. Daniel Byers was honored the title of President Emeritus. Danny served the Vigilants for a combined 19 years as President (1995, 1996 and 2001 through 2017). Among his many achievments as President, the building of the Shippensburg Emergency Services Building was the highlight.