Westford Historical Society’s 2005 Calendar researched and created by Marilyn Day, Wesyford Town Historian (2005)
Slideshow, Alina Jeng, Westford Historical Society Intern (2020)
The Center Fire Station
This fire station is particularly special to Westford and to the Westford Museum. The Museum building served as the Center Fire Station’s home from 1928 until 1974. There were three companies in Westford in 1928: the Edward M. Abbot Hose Company, the Alfred R. Choate Hose Company, and the John Edward Hose Company. Common uniforms and tools were helmets, turnout coats, boots, and axes. Also used were bucket brigades, simple ladders, and hand-pumped engines. The two main jobs at the station were as Hose Company workers and Hook and Ladder Company workers. The Hose Company workers handled water distribution while the Hook and Ladder Company workers were in charge of rescue, ventilation, and overhauling
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Click below to view
“2005 Calendar ~ Fire Companies of Westford Massachusetts”
with full text
Calendar-2005-Firestation
In 1909, the Board of Fire Engineers presented their first annual report indicating that there were three distinct fire companies in Westford consisting of twenty men each.
The Edward M. Abbot Hose Company No.1 Westford Center
The Albert R. Choate Hose Company No. 2 Graniteville
The John Edwards Hose Company No. 3 Forge Village
In 1909 it was voted that each member of the Fire Department, including the Call Men. were to receive a salary of $1 per year. By 1922 the company name of Choate. Edwards and Abbot were dropped from the Town Report and the fire companies, were referred to by their company number only. The 1924 Fire Engineer’s report stated that the horse-drawn hose wagon in Graniteville and Forge Village were practically useless, as there were no horses to haul them.
Westford Fire Chiefs: Sherman H. Fletcher (1910-1912) Edward M Abbot (1913-1921)
Alonzo H Sutherland (1922-1939), Edmund D. Rogers (1940-1953). Harold E Wright (1954-1955)
Westford Forestry Wardens: John A. Healy (1909-1913) Harry L. Nesmith (1914-1 941)
Leo R. Larkin (1942-1954) Richard W Hall (1955·1955)
Westford Fire Chiefs & Forestry Wardens
Edward N Lamson 1955-1966
George R. Young 1967-1968
Westford’s Full-time Fire Chief
George P. Rogers, 1969-1973 called chief until July 1, 1973,
then full-time chief until his retirement September 30, 1995
Richard J. Rochon 1995-2013
Joseph Targ 2013 to present
Around Town with Geoff Hall
History of Westford Fire Department 1908-2014
The Westford Fire Department is growing and changing. Geoff Hall visits the WFD to talk with Chief Joseph Targ about the history and future of fire services in Westford.
See more of Around Town with Geoff Hall
At the Annual Town Meeting in March, the new fire station being built on Boston Road, was approved unanimously by voters to be named Fletcher Fire Station One. Geoff Hall goes around town to answer why “Fletcher Station One” by delving into the Westford Fire Department’s history and the Fletcher family’s long time connection to it (Westford CAT)
To all the men and women who now serve in the Westford Fire Department, we thank you