The Citizens Steam Fire Company 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 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.

In 1939, the members of the Citizens Fire Company organized the town’s first 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 until1978, 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 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. In May 1996 using its own funds, the company purchased a 1985 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 48^th 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 has 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 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.

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.

Past Recipients of the "Citizen of the Year" Award

1982	John “Bucky” Rogers
1983	Rick Wagner
1984	David Jarrett, Fran Kieres
1985	Tom Ward, Sr.
1986	None Selected
1987	Leon Trusky
1988	Mike Ansbach, David Morgan
1989	Randy Kalce
1990	Tom Ward, Jr.
1991	Harry Wagner, Jr.
1992	Joseph Oliva, Jr.
1993	Robert Wagner
1994	None Selected
1995	Gary Gnall, Steve Kozie, Mark Fowler
1996	Tim Wirtz
1997	John Fowler, Christopher Fowler Ken Soult, Todd Dunlap, Joseph Moyle, II & Bill Wirtz, Jr.
1998	Todd Dunlap, Ken Soult, Christopher Fowler, John Fowler, Bill Wirtz, Jr. & Joseph Seabra
1999	Sean MacLeary
2000	Tony Flaim
2001	Mike Muzalusky
2002	Jason Hannon
2003	Mark Jeffery
2004	Paul Fegley
2005	Stanley Sabol, Sr.
2006	Keith Northey, Jr.
2007	Stanley Sabol, Jr.