Morris Plains Fire Department

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==History==
In the early 1900s, residents residing in Hanover Township would call the Morristown Police for fire emergencies, which in turn would dispatch the Morristown Fire Bureau.
===Morris Plains Fire Department and Association===
The Morris Plains Fire Association was established on April 28, 1907, after the Wies Hotel fire of 1906, by a group of men who sought proper fire protection to the then Greystone Hospital Transit Hub. The MPFD still operates within the Borough of Morris Plains with nearly 115 years of 100% active volunteer firefighting service to the 2.5 square mile community. The Morris Plains Fire Association still operates side by side with the Fire Department with the same membership at 531 Speedwell Avenue, in the 1940 Firehouse. The original fire house, a junior mechanics hall, was located on Franklin Avenue, close to the Speedwell Intersection before the building was moved by hand, and renovated at 660 Speedwell Avenue. This building still stands. 
Before leaving Hanover Township in 1926, Morris Plains Fire Association may have been the first fire protection service within the Township, having been established in 1907. Other services followed; Mountain Lakes Fire District No. 1 in 1915, Whippany Fire District No. 2 in 1915, and in 1918/1919, the Cedar Knolls Fire District No. 3. Morris Plains followed suit and assumed District No. 4. 
On May 3rd 1907, the company's second meeting took place, with the then Greystone Hospital Fire Chief in attendance, giving a speech on organizing and equipping a fire company. Members pledged nearly $600 to the company. On May 28th 1907, the newly formed Fire Association ordered a Hook & Ladder Company, for $1,050.00 from fire apparatus manufacturer American LaFrance. The Fire Association also purchased 1000' of hose, was donated a horse to pull the ladder truck, and a pick-up wagon which was converted by the members as a Hose Wagon. An apparatus committee was dispatched to the Town of Boonton to inspect a used 1876 hand pumper from the South Boonton Engine Company, a purchase recommendation was made, and the hand pumper was purchased. This apparatus is still owned by the Association.
In 1908, the newly formed Association was invited to the Boonton Labor Day Fireman's Parade, the men, with no badges or proper uniforms, held fundraisers to raise necessary funds for proper uniforms. The Association ended up attending the parade in the new uniforms, and up brought home a Trophy for marching, which is still on display on the association floor.
In 1917, the Association purchased its first motorized apparatus, a 1917 Ford Model T / Howe pumper. The truck was delivered to the Morris Plains Freight Station and rested in a box car. Ironically, while the Howe was sitting in the boxcar, a fire consumed about half of the Merchant Block from Franklin Place to the Merchant Building. Also later that year, a resident donated a Thomas "Flyer" automobile to the Association for dousing a blaze at their property. The Flyer was converted into a Soda/Acid chemical engine by the membership. The ground ladder from the Howe pumper hangs beside the 1876 hand pumper.
1923 and 1924 only came with greater good for the Association, with the Township of Hanover building what stands now as the Morris Plains Borough School at 500 Speedwell Avenue, the Old School House at 531 Speedwell was sold to the Association and converted into the new Fire Headquarters. The Association also remounted the horse-drawn ladder truck onto a 1924 International chassis and a 1924 Waterous pumper (415gpm rotary pump) was purchased removing the need for horses. This completed the conversion to motorized apparatus. Throughout the 20's & 30's a Fireman's Carnival was held behind the new 531 firehouse on the corner of Academy Road & Speedwell Avenue, the Carnival featured rides of the times and food prepared by the Ladies Auxiliary.
In 1926, the State of New Jersey adopted the Township Act, essentially dividing smaller villages into incorporated Boroughs and Townships. With that Mountain Lakes and Morris Plains became their own towns, and the fire departments came under control of the newly formed boroughs. In 1926, the Morris Plains Fire Department was established.
The new borough government assumed the responsibility of providing fire protection and the Morris Plains Fire Department was formed. Members of the Fire Association became members of the new department. The Association was charged by the new council with the responsibility of recommending new members and names of persons to be appointed officers of the department, a practice which continues to this day.
Through the Great Depression, the new Department and the Association proved through and in 1932, held a 25th Anniversary parade where charter members pulled the hand pumper. Also in the 30's a used JCP&L utility truck was purchased and was equipped with generators, floodlights, and an assortment of fire & first aid equipment.
Disaster struck in August of 1940. The firehouse, which was owned by the Association, was damaged beyond repair by a fire that started under a roof overhang. It is thought that paper, from a backyard fire pit was carried by wind and logged itself in the overhang. The members were able to save all of the firefighting equipment, but the building was a complete loss. With the Department, Association, Police Department and the Borough Council without a place to conduct business, the 531 Speedwell property was purchased by the Borough for a sum of $1.00 and perpetual rights for a meeting room of adequate size to serve the needs of the Association would be reserved in the new building. The new Firehouse, from which all services, except Emergency Medical Service, still operate out of today, was dedicated in 1941, and around the same time, the department welcomed a 1941 Mack 750gpm pumper, which under a unknown and unwritten reasoning was ordered in a Croydon Creme Color, which the Department returned to in 2020. The Mack replaced the 1917 Howe and would serve as Engine 3.
During the midst of World War II, the Department went to great lengths to keep the general public prepared on the home front. Under Civil Defense direction, the Fire Department and Borough School Ham Radio Operators kept a town wide blackout, and performed a demonstration extinguishing an incendiary bomb near the Borough School. The Department also kept its fleet updated over the next 20 years sporting the "Croydon Creme Color" until after its 1957 50th Anniversary of the Association which still had a few Charter Members within its ranks. In 1966, the Department purchased its 3rd ladder truck, a Peter Pirsch mid-mount which retained its fully red color scheme.
From 1966 to the early 2000's, the Morris Plains Fire Department battled many blazes within town and as mutual aid partners. The Department also welcomed a handful of apparatus trading out the Croydon Creme, to a fully red fleet. In the 90's with the advent of diesel engines and computer technology, enclosed cabs and the days of "backstepping" fading, the Department transitioned colors again to the traditional white over red.
On February 13th, 1992, The Morris Plains Fire Department suffered a Line of Duty Death with the death of Chief Vincent McGuiness.
On September 11th 2001, members of the Department who had been serving with other local departments either as career fireman or on the Morris Minute Men First Aid Squad, assisted directly with New York Fire Department operations. The days of "plain old firefighting" were gone, equipment that was never thought of being carried was brought onto the Department's engines. Radiation monitors. CBRNE suits, decon equipment, and chemical detection equipment was added to equipment lists. In 2007, the Morris Plains Fire Department entered into an Agreement with the County of Morris to operate a 2006 Pierce Saber air cascade truck. The air truck was purchased through a UASI (Urban Area Security Initiative) grant. The truck is 1 of 6 identical air cascades to serve the Newark/Jersey City UASI area. Members still passionately operate this truck after nearly 15 years, whilst being the only volunteer organization in the UASI Task Force to man such a truck.
In the 2010's, the department, as well others as in the county, joined the Morris County Interoperable Radio (MIRS) system and phased out localized and self run Police Dispatch Centers. During that time the Plains has seen "different homes" on different fire response channels. Originally the department was on the initial wave over on Fire Response 2 with Dover, Mine Hill, Rockaway Borough, and Wharton. Shortly after they were reassigned to Fire Response 4; Response 4 is home to "The Greater Morristown", and held streamlined communications for Morristown, Morris Township, and Morris Plains for many years. Just before 2020, Morris Plains saw communication relocation once more, but they were welcomed by familiar voices. Today, the department operates on Fire Response 6 with Hanover Township, thus in retrospect, almost reuniting the pre-township act Hanover Township.
Today, the operations methods adopted in 1926 still remain, The Morris Plains Fire Association elects the Chiefs and Engineers, and makes recommendations to the borough for new apparatus. Though the Department and Association are separate, the Department engages in fire protection and vehicle rescue services, the Association assists with community events such as the Halloween Parade, Santa Tour, Easter Egg Hunt, sponsors little league teams, and provides school scholarships. Morris Plains Fire Department 100th Anniversary booklet
==Apparatus Roster==
All pump/tank measurements are in US gallons.
===Fire Station 23 - 531 Speedwell Avenue=== 
:23 Truck 1 - 2020 Pierce Arrow XT 6700 6x4 (2000/300/100' Ascendant mid-mount platform) (SN#33927)
:23 Utility 2 - 2006 Ford F-550 4x4 walk-around
:23 Rescue Engine 3 - 2002 Pierce Dash / 2023 rehab (1500/500) (SN#13489)
:23 Engine 4 - 1997 Pierce Dash (1500/500) (SN#EA867)
:
=== Fire Headquarters - 555 Speedwell Avenue ===
:23 Chief 1 - 2020 Ford F-150 4x4
:23 Chief 2 - 2008 Ford Expedition
:23 Fire Prevention 1 - 2015 Dodge Charger AWD (Ex-MPPD Car 5)
:
=== Morris County Fire Academy - 500 West Hanover Avenue, Parsippany ===
:Morris County USAI Air Cascade Unit - 2006 Pierce Saber 6024 walk-around
==Retired Apparatus==
:1993 Seagrave LP56DH aerial (1500/500/100' rear-mount ladder) (Ex-Quint 1)
:1982 Mack MC pumper (1000/500) (Ex-Engine 512)
:1975 Ford / Young pumper (1000/500) (Ex-Engine 4)
:1968 Hahn pumper (1000/500) (Ex-Engine 3)
:1965 Pirsch aerial (-/-/75' mid-mount) (Ex-Truck 1)
:1955 Ward LaFrance pumper (750/500) (Ex-Engine 2)
:1948 International / TASC pumper (500/500) (Ex-Engine 4)
:1941 Mack pumper (750/-) (Ex-Engine 3)
:1930 Chevrolet emergency unit (Ex-Unit 4) (Ex-Jersey Central Power & Light)
:1930 Ahrens-Fox hook & ladder (Ex-Truck 1) (Ex-Madison Fire Department (New Jersey), purchased 1954)
:1924 Waterous pumper (415/-) (Ex-Engine 3)
: 1924 International / 1907 American LaFrance hook & ladder (Converted in-house from 1907 wagon)
:1917 Ford Model T / Howe pumper (Ex-Engine 2)
:1907 American LaFrance horse-drawn ladder wagon (Ex-Truck 1)
:1876 Simeon Van Duyne squirrel tail hand pumper (Ex-Engine 2) (Ex-Boonton Fire Department)
:Pickup hose wagon
==External Links==
*Morris Plains Fire Department
*Morris Plains Fire Department Facebook page
*Morris Plains Fire Department Instagram
*Morris Plains Fire Department YouTube channel
==References==
==Station Map==
Category:Morris County, New Jersey
Category:New Jersey departments operating Pierce apparatus
Category:Former operators of Ahrens-Fox apparatus
Category:Former operators of Hahn apparatus
Category:Former operators of Howe apparatus
Category:Former operators of Mack apparatus
Category:Former operators of Pirsch apparatus
Category:Former operators of Seagrave apparatus
Category:Former operators of TASC apparatus
Category:Former operators of Ward LaFrance apparatus
Category:Former operators of Young apparatus