Department History

In 1921 a group of men who felt the need and the desire to form a volunteer fire company with the Town of Vestal met.  This group of men, 25 strong, held a meeting on October 24, 1921 in the "Old" Vestal Garage.  From this meeting, with no funds, equipment, or experience, the Vestal Volunteer Fire Department grew into one of the largest, best equipped, best trained, unpaid fire departments in New York State.

Between 1921 and  1949 the department grew from a single company to four companies, each protecting one of the four main population centers of the town. Each of these companies is rich in their own history. There is a complete section devoted to each:

Until 1952 the four companies were separate organizations.  On July 14, 1952 the four companies were merged into the Vestal Fire Department.

Today we have approximately 125 firefighters.  Within the department we have four engines, two ladder trucks, two tankers, two heavy duty rescue squad trucks, two mini-pumpers, one foam truck, two brush trucks, two utility trucks, two boats, and one command post/communications vehicle