It was in 1917 when the first official meeting of the “Nichols Fire Department” came to order.  On Tuesday, January 23, at eight thirty in the evening, a small group of concerned neighbors gathered in a small building on Center Road in the Village of Nichols, Connecticut.  The purpose of this meeting was to establish organized fire protection and to select officers for the new fire department.  Lewis D. Christie was named to be the Department’s first Fire Chief.  The Assistant Chief’s position was to be filled by E.P. Curtiss.  George McClellan, Jr. and Stanley Linley were named to be the Captain and the Lieutenant respectively.  The secretary and treasurer’s duties were to be performed by Clarence Cooper.

Woodrow Wilson was in the White House and folks were singing the popular song “Swing low, Sweet Chariot”.  In January, the famous “SOS” soap pad was introduced.  “A Tale of Two Cities” was number one at the box office and the Chicago White Sox were victorious over the N.Y. Yankees in the World Series.  Can you believe…a loaf of bread cost nine cents and three bedroom homes sold for thirty-two hundred dollars!

It was not until August that the Department received delivery of its first new piece of fire apparatus.  It was a Model T Ford Chemical Truck.  The Minutes from the December monthly meeting state that the truck’s first fire call was for “Ransom’s house”.  Lewis Shelton responded with the new chemical truck and put out the fire, preventing any serious damage.

On November 24, 1919, the Department established boundaries for a fire protection jurisdiction.  The Connecticut Legislature established “The Nichols Fire District” and granted it the authority to levy a fire tax.

During December 1920, the new fire district signed a lease for the old Nichols School on Shelton Road and secured a loan of five hundred dollars for renovation necessary to convert it into a firehouse.  In 1935, the Town deeded that property to the fire district for the sum of one dollar.

By 1937, plans were well underway to build a new firehouse.  It was to be something more modern, larger and more “up-to-date’ … the kind of building that could house newer and more sophisticated fire trucks… the kind of apparatus that actually had a water pump, hose, a ladder and carried their own tank of water!  Ground was broken directly in front of what once was the old school house in April 1938.  Construction was completed during October 1938 at a cost of twenty-one thousand dollars.  That sum included the building itself, the sidewalks, the driveway, and landscaping.  The Department’s first true pumping engine was placed in services upon moving into the new firehouse.

During the early days of World War II, it was decided that the firehouse was to be staffed each evening to enhance the readiness of the fire department during such troubled times.  This was the inception of what is called, “sleeping on”.  Through a program, which is almost unheard of in other volunteer departments, as many as eight personnel sleep at the firehouse on Shelton Road every night of the year.  A practice continues today, nearly sixty years later.  This means that when an alarm hits, it is only a matter of seconds before the sound of apparatus’ sirens are heard throughout the community.

To keep pace with the demands of a growing community, a second firehouse, at the intersection of Booth Hill and MacDonald Roads, was built and occupied in 1973.  This station is named in honor of Past Fire Chief Arthur J. Kennedy, who proudly served the Department from 1959 to 1969 and is now the home of one engine and the fire apparatus maintenance facility.

Over the last 80 years, the Nichols Fire Department has experienced may changes and has responded to meet many challenges.  These include increased numbers of commercial buildings and homes, new apparatus, more technologically advanced equipment, changing fire fighting tactics and the need for increased leadership and administrative attention.  During that period, one thing has always remained the same…that is Department’s dedication and commitment to serve and protect our community.

Sworn to protect and serve the community, the Nichols Firefighter is dedicated to the Department’s mission.  In Nichols, the firefighter is a volunteer!  While an individual’s volunteer efforts should not cost them financially, volunteers do not receive a paycheck.  The work of a firefighter extends far beyond responding to fires and emergency call.  It involves education and training, apparatus and equipment maintenance, administrative paperwork and planning…not all of which ever ends.

A volunteer firefighter’s loved ones learn to “understand and accept the interrupted dinners and family celebrations, and the being awakened in the middle of the night only to worry about the hazards to their responding family, and of course, the intangible rewards of service.  There is the sense of a job well done.  There is the spirit of camaraderie with those individuals you learn to trust with your life through the teamwork demanded by dangerous situations.  There is the pride of being part of a winning team.  There is the satisfaction that comes with knowing “you made a difference”.

Nichols Station 1 is located at 100 Shelton Road. The current building, constructed in 1938, houses three pieces of apparatus, day room, meeting rooms, full kitchen, and Night Crew sleeping quarters for up to six firefighters.

Station 2 is located on the corner of MacDonald Road and Booth Hill Road, constructed in 1973; it provides fire protection to the districts’ north end with the response of two engines, while also acting as an apparatus maintenance facility.

Some of the year round activities that the members participate in are fire prevention and awareness programs taught in schools, Halloween hot dot safety program, and Salvation Army bell ring to name a few.

Our membership consists of all occupations from college students to corporate executives. Like any other successful organization, we are constantly seeking new members to fill our ranks who are looking for a new challenge and a rewarding experience.

NIGHT CREW

The Nichols Fire Department Night Crew has been in operation since 1932, when Station 1 was built. During World War II, it was believed that by having members of the department sleep at the station overnight, the response time to emergencies would be greatly reduced resulting in better service to the community.

The Night Crew consists of up to six senior members who agree to “Sleep On” – 7 days a week, 365 days a year. By having members in the station during overnight hours, it takes only a matter of minutes to get a piece of apparatus on the road after the initial call.

Each member of the Night Crew is assigned a bunk, a locker, and a riding position on the apparatus upon joining the crew. In addition, there is a full kitchen, and shower facilities to enable Night Crew members to make dinner at night or get ready for work in the morning. During training exercised, the night crew often “drills” together which builds confidence adding to the tightly woven group.

The Nichols Fire Department “Night Crew” is one of the longest running groups of its kind anywhere in the nation. This allows for fire protection during the most critical hours of the day, the overnight.