1946

Matters with the fire department were okay until 1946 when a split arose in the rank and file. There was friction between two of the fire commissioners and an incident at the Colonia Civic Club between these two commissioners brought to a head all the friction between the commissioners.

As a result, three commissioners started a new fire department on the West End of town and took the only fire engine. This new fire department operated with some of the previous firemen and the fire truck was parked in a garage on Inman Avenue near Wood Avenue. Eventually, another firehouse was built on Inman Ave (where the VFW now stands). Meantime, the original fire department was still in business; but, without a fire truck until the Valentine Brick Company of Woodbridge made a donation of a chain driven drive 1934 Mack pumper, with a 500 gallon tank and 500 g.p.m. pump in 1948. The next year, the company bought a late 1937 Diamond T pumper from a Long Island fire company, which had been used as a competition fire truck. The engine was fast but there was no pump, so a 500 g.p.m. pump was purchased and installed. The cost of this engine was five hundred dollars.