The Citizens Steam Fire Company # 2 was organized in March of 1870 and was chartered in June of 1973. The first piece of apparatus was a hose carriage bought from the Good Intent Fire Company of Pottsville. This antique is still owned by the company today and is kept on display at the Schuylkill Historical Fire Society Museum in Shenandoah.
In 1875 a Silsby Steamer was purchased out of company funds at a cost of $5,500. All equipment was hand drawn until 1885 when the first horses were purchased to power the units. In 1892 a horse-drawn hose carriage was delivered and in 1902 a combination chemical engine/hose wagon was put into service.
The first motorized apparatus of the company was an American LaFrance pumper, delivered in July of 1917. This truck was replaced in 1927 be a second American LaFrance engine. In 1948, a Seagrave 750GPM Pumper was purchased for the company by Borough Council. This unit served the company well until it was replaced in 1975 by a 1975 Mack CF 1,000GPM Pumper. In the fall of 1985 the Mack was refurbished and after many upgrades and additions, is still in service today as a reserve piece.
In 1939, the members of the Citizens Fire Company organized the town’s first and only community ambulance, along with purchasing the first ambulance. Members were trained in First Aid and on driving the ambulance. One ambulance was sufficient to service the area until 1978, when it was realized that a second unit was needed to handle the increase call volume. Borough Council, which had the former police station adjacent to the fire station, was renovated to house the second ambulance and expand the company’s station.
In January 1985, the Ladies Auxiliary was established to support the company in fund raising.
The Citizens Fire Company and Mahanoy City EMS served the community from its East Pine Street Station, which was also the Police Station, until the early 1990’s when the membership realized it needed additional space. Over the course of the next few years, the company purchased and acquired the necessary land in the 200 block of West Centre Street to build a new, larger fire station. This new station and spacious banquet hall, which is now St. Luke's Rehabilitation, was completed in 1995 and provides the company with the necessary space to hold its fund raising events, trainings and meetings throughout the year.
Shortly after the completion of the building, discussion by the membership was held to add a ladder truck to the company for protection of the borough and township. In May 1996 using its own funds, the company purchased a 1982 Mack Aerialscope. This “bucket truck”, with its unique advantages over an ordinary ladder truck , was purchased from the Old Forge Fire Department. This same truck once served as Ladder 15 in New York City.
In 2002, the Citizens Fire Co. and the Good American Hose Co. co-hosted the 48th Annual Schuylkill County Volunteer Firefighters’ Convention. Committees worked for almost 2 years planning and fund raising for the event. On a dismal, foggy and rainy morning, judging for the parade started. By parade time, the skies cleared and Mahanoy City hosted one of the largest parades in town history. The Grand Marshals for the parade were from the Fire Department of New York City and stationed with Engine 4 / Ladder 15 - the same house that the Tower had served at one time.
In November of 2003, with the company’s Life and 35+ Year Members on board, the company took delivery of its new Pierce, Lance 2000GPM Pumper – driven by our own Robert “Pecker” Wagner. This replaces the 1975 Mack that had served so well for so many years. The new Pierce was designed from the “ground, up” by a committee of company members that took over 2 years to design.
November also marked another historical event in company history; that being the “Mortgage Burning Ceremony” as all financing on the new fire station was paid in full – in only 10 years! President Harry Wagner, Jr. commended the membership for its hard work and dedication in not only building a new fire station, but also paying it off – delinquent free – in less that 10 years, purchasing the Tower, a new engine, new company uniforms and two new ambulances in that time period as well.
Over the next month, the company spent countless hours training on the new computerized pump operation, receiving additional driver training on the new, larger engine and placing the new equipment and hose onto the engine. Then, on the Christmas holiday weekend, new Engine 454 was placed in service. That following spring in June, a parade was held to house both the new engine and the new 2004 Ford/Marque Ambulance.
In 2008, the company won the bid and purchased a 1991 Mack/Baker Aerialscope from the Upper Saucon Fire Dept. On June, 5 2009, the company officially housed the new tower 456. In addition, during this time period, the company also purchased a 1987 Mack Rescue from the Wyomissing Fire Dept. to replace the old squad which was unable to carry anymore equipment and was having mechanical issues. In 2010 another new vehicle was added with the addition of the new ambulance 4803. This 2010 Ford/Marque replaced our 1999 Ford/Braun which was retired.
Today, the Citizens Fire Company and Mahanoy City EMS, along with the entire Mahanoy City Fire Department, continue to provide professional firefighting and emergency medical services to the borough and surrounding areas and we look forward to facing these challenges in the future.
Line of Duty Deaths
George Major
October 31, 1874. George Major, our Asst. Fire Chief and Chief Burgess was shot and killed while responding to a false alarm in Mahanoy City. This event occurred during a period of ethnic tension in the Borough.
Michael Sommers
September 19, 1890. Michael Sommers was killed in a train collision/derailment when their passenger train collided with a coal train in the village of Shoemakersville in Berks County. Mr. Sommers was part of a group returning home from the State Firemen's Convention in Chester, PA.
Frank Hoffman
September 19, 1890. Frank Hoffman was killed in a train collision/derailment when their passenger train collided with a coal train in the village of Shoemakersville in Berks County. Mr. Hoffman was part of a group returning home from the State Firemen's Convention in Chester, PA.
James Becker
September 19, 1890. James Becker was killed in a train collision/derailment when their passenger train collided with a coal train in the village of Shoemakersville in Berks County. Mr. Becker was part of a group returning home from the State Firemen's Convention in Chester, PA.
David Anstock
September 19, 1890. David Anstock was killed in a train collision/derailment when their passenger train collided with a coal train in the village of Shoemakersville in Berks County. Mr. Anstock was part of a group returning home from the State Firemen's Convention in Chester, PA.
Joseph N. King
July 11, 1948. Joseph King died at a fire in the Janowitz Building at the corner of Main and Market Streets. He suffered a fatal heart attack.
William Pritz
November 6, 1984. William Pritz, a fire policeman, died of a massive heart attack while directing traffic during a fire on West Maple Street.
The following individuals, although not members of the Citizens Fire Company, deserve this Company's proper respect and recognition on this page...
William Pangonis
December 25, 1946. Mr. Pangonis, a member of the West End Fire & Rescue Co was struck by a car and killed while running to the fire station for an incoming box alarm. The alarm was a holiday prank.
Harold Rogers
August 15, 1965. Mr. Rogers, a member of the Rescue Hook & Ladder Co. of Shenandoah died of a heart attack while marching in company uniform for the 50th Anniversary parade of the Polish-American Fire Company of Shenandoah. Harold was the father of John "Bucky" Rogers - a member of the Citizens
Fire Co. #2.
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On Friday Dec 9 Citizens
Fire Co held battle of
the bands for the cancer
society. Numerous bands
from the area
participated t...
Starting on Nov. 25
Christmas trees will once
again be sold by company
members. We will be
selling Blue Spruce and
Douglas Fi...
At 14:59 hours this day
Engine 454 along with
Districts 6, 26 and
Altamont Fire were
dispatched to I 81
Southbound MM 129 in ...
At around 17:00 hrs
Citizens Fire and EMS
were dispatched along
with the four other
borough companies and
Frackville and Alta...
