The town of Union Bridge suffered its first major fire loss on December 3, 1868, when the Western Maryland Railroad Shops burned with a total loss of buildings and contents. This was a major setback for the town of 1000, since it was the main employer for the towns citizens. Over the next few years, the town purchased two extension ladders, two hooks and fifteen rubber buckets, which were kept in a shed in the Western Maryland Railroad yards.
On March 10, 1887, thirty men pledged themselves to the duties as firemen to organized a volunteer fire company and the Union Bridge Fire Company was formed. This was also the first year that the members held a festival during the first week of June, to raise funds for the fire company. We continue that tradition today, by holding the annual firemen's carnival for one week, starting on Memorial Day, the last Monday of May.
After the company's organization, the town furnished two hose reels and a hook & ladder wagon. This equipment was kept in the town hall on E. Broadway and meetings were held on the second floor. Members were delegated specific positions, that they would be responsible for during fires.
In 1889, the fire company purchased the hardware store belonging to William H. Wood, a member of the company, on Main Street. The company also became incorporated and changed its name to the Union Bridge Fire Company, Incorporated. Many renovations were made so that there was a meeting room and a place to store the hose reels and the hook & ladder wagon. In 1891, a tower and bell were built on the roof to summon the firemen when help was needed.
Then, in 1893, a meeting was held by several fire companies from across Maryland, in Frederick. The Union Bridge Fire Company, Inc., became a Charter Member of the Maryland State Firemen's Association, along with eleven other fire companies from across the state. We are still a member of this Association and have had many members serve in various positions within the MSFA.
The Fire Company remained on Main Street until January of 1925, when the building was sold and the town hall on E. Broadway was purchased for $3,500.00. This was done so that the fire company had room for it's first piece of motorized equipment, a 1925 Stutz pumper. A bell tower was added and the bell from the Main Street firehouse was placed into the tower. This bell is now located in our 'Fire Service Memorial' near the front of our current fire station. In 1926, a Packard car was converted into a Service Truck to carry extra equipment and ladders.
Though a group of women, mainly the firemen's wives, had been helping to raise funds for the fire company since the late 19th Century, there was no official organization until 1939, when the "Ladies Auxiliary to the Union Bridge Fire Company" was organized. Today, women and men are part of this organization that financially support the fire company through various fundraisers.
In 1947, the company took on a new role, a service that the local funeral home had provided for many years. An ambulance was donated by D. D. Hartzler & Sons Funeral Home so that injured or ill people could be taken to the hospital in Frederick. The donated ambulance was soon replaced by a brand new Buick ambulance in 1948. Since the early days of ambulance service in Union Bridge, our company has been a training leader in Emergency Medical Services. In 1972, the first Emergency Medical Technician class was held in Baltimore County, Maryland and several of our members were in that class. By the mid-70's, Union Bridge had more than half of the EMT's in the Carroll County.
The first official "Junior Auxiliary Department of the Union Bridge Fire Company" was organized in 1901. There are few records as to how this group continued as the years past, however, another junior organization was fostered in 1962 and the "Union Bridge Junior Fire Company" was organized by company members. Young men, ages 15 to 17, joined the group with hopes to become firemen as they got older. Since then, many of our members and Officers, who were once 'Juniors', have been and continue to lead our company.
In 1965, the "Union Bridge Fire Police" was organized. Deputized by the Carroll County Sheriff, these men were responsible for everything from traffic control to crowd control. Though they had no arrest privileges, they provided the extra manpower needed to take care of non-emergency police duties.
The town hall was the home of the fire company for forty-two years, but again, the size of new apparatus and a need to add more apparatus to our fleet, required us to move our company into a larger building. In March of 1967, with many devoted hours of construction by our members, the company moved to the carnival grounds located on West Locust Street, which is the present location of the fire station and carnival grounds. In 1985, an addition was added to create a social hall for fundraising events. Until this time, the apparatus bays were used to hold fundraising events and the apparatus would be stored in buildings across the street from the fire station during the events.
Many changes and technological innovations in the fire service have occurred over the years. We have proudly maintained a high level of training and state-of-the-art apparatus, including an engine, an engine/tanker, a rescue squad, a brush unit, a command/personnel transport utility, a work/personnel transport utility with a snow plow and an ambulance with ALS capabilities; to insure that our citizens receive the best service possible. Though our ambulance service uses paid EMS providers 24/7 and we have a part-time day shift fire apparatus driver/operator on the weekdays, we are still primarily a volunteer fire company. Our members still believe in our motto,
Union Bridge is one of 14 Fire Companies in Carroll County. Below is a map showing the 14 'fire districts'. Each department is self governed but does receive county government funding for operating costs such as maintenance, fuel and utilities. Capital expenses such as buildings and apparatus are purchased by fundraising monies. In order for fire companies to operate as a "team", originally, the Carroll County Volunteer Fireman's Association(Administrative), Carroll County Fire Chief's Association(Fire Operations) and the Carroll County Ambulance Association(EMS Operations) were formed to provide a guideline for each company to work together, under the same rules. In 2004, after many years of debate, the Carroll County Volunteer Emergency Services Association (CCVESA) was created to combine the three associations. More information about CCVESA can be found on their website at http://ccvesa.org/.
Wondering how each company received their fire company number? The numbers were delegated when the first radio system was implemented in the late 1950's. At a county wide meeting, each company was given a number randomly, to differentiate each unit on the radio. Fire Engines are given the numbers 1-4 with the company number leading (EX. Engine 81). Brush units are 5,6 (EX. Brush 85). Ambulances are 7-9 (EX. Ambulance 89 or Ambulance 37). Special apparatus use their station number only, preceded by the type of unit (EX. Rescue Squad 8, Ladder 5, Tower 3, Utility 8 or Utility 8-1, Special Unit 3, Duty 10) We also have county owned apparatus assigned to various stations. New Windsor, for instance, houses the county Haz-Mat team vehicles. They are designated by their unit type and a non-existant station number (EX. Haz-Mat 30 and Decon 30).
In 1731, John Tredane purchased the 200 acres of land that became Union Bridge. Later, the Farquhars (far cwars) of Pennsylvania, who were Quakers, established the town. Many other Quakers followed them to settle in the area. During this time, the community was actually named "Buttersburg". The Old Pipe Creek Friends Meeting House was built in 1772 at the edge of town and was visited by President Herbert Hoover and his family during his Presidency. The name changed when a bridge was built over Little Pipe Creek and the US Postal Service renamed the town "Union Bridge" to commemorate the unity between the north and south sides of the community. It wasn't until May 2, 1872, that the Maryland General Assembly approved a charter for the town.
In 1811, Jacob R. Thomas designed and assembled the world'sfirst reaping machine. World renowned sculptor William Rinehart, known as the last American sculptor to use a classical style, was born here in 1825. His work can be seen in Washington D.C., Rome, Baltimore and on the square in Union Bridge, a recast of the statue "Love Reconciled With Death". Union Bridge was also the first incorporated town to have electric street lights in the United States.
Growth in this small community has been slow. Since 1862, when the Western Maryland Railroad placed their headquarters in Union Bridge, the towns population has been 1000 people, give or take 10 people. Many inventions came from the rail yard of the Western Maryland Railroad, its most notable invention being the 'knuckle coupler' which connects railcars together and is still in use today, across the nation. The yard even built its own passenger cars and box cars.
After the Battle of Gettysburg, the first General to die on the battlefields, was brought to Union Bridge and placed on a train to Baltimore. Later, many wounded or dead from the great battle were brought here to be taken to Baltimore and the tracks were affectionately nicknamed the "hospital tracks". Then, as stated in the fire company history, a major fire broke out in 1868 and destroyed all of the shops and contents. They, of course, were rebuilt and the Western Maryland Railroad florished for many years. From 1944 to 1948, the Roop Farm on Middleburg Road served as the national base for "Heifers for Relief", where more than 3,600 cows were brought through town on rail cars. Today, the headquarters of the Maryland Midland Railroad own the tracks which continue to transport freight, cement and various other bulk items. The old WMRR headquarters is now the WMRR Museum, which you can visit and see a bit of railroad history.
We also are partnered with one of Marylands largest businesses, Lehigh Portland Cement Company, which has bordered the town for nearly a century. Not unlike the railroad, many residents have made their living at this company. The company has expanded over the years and now has a quarry just outside of Union Bridge and a quarry in New Windsor.
Over the years, the town had as many as four grocery stores and three sewing factories open in town, not to mention a movie theatre, a bowling alley, a soda fountain and a whole lot more, too numerous to mention here. We also have two great restaurants in town, "The Buttersburg Inn" and "Original Pizza". The Fire Company is proud to be part of the towns history and future. The small town feel is something we cherish. You can find out more about the town by visiting on the web: www.carr.org/~unionbr/
Have you ever wondered why there are different colors of fire helmets? Sometimes you see firefighters wearing White, Red, Blue, Yellow, Black, Brown or even Orange helmets. These colors do mean something and in this section, we will explain what they mean to the fire service depending on where you are in the United States. Here in Maryland, most departments and jurisdictions use a standard that was created by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA). Each color designates the official rank of the firefighter wearing it. Even the front shields can help to designate or identify a rank that is not specified by NFPA or that a department or jurisdiction decides to use for the rank. In other parts of the country, the helmet colors do mean something to their personnel, but they may not use the same color coding system as we do in Maryland.
Obviously, the helmet is located on the highest point of a firefighters body. This allows other firefighters to easily look through a crowd of helmets to find the Chiefs, Captains, Lieutenants and other firefighters, simply by seeing the color of the helmet. There are many different styles of helmets, but the helmet and shield colors still use the same "code". So, lets get started on what the colors and shields mean to firefighters on an incident.
The White helmet, with either a 'white' or 'gold' shield, designates a "Chief Officer". The individual who wears this helmet can be a Fire Chief, Assistant Chief, Deputy Chief, Division Chief or a Battalion Chief. During emergency situations, these individuals can be the "Incident Commander" or are tasked to be in-charge of several groups/company's of firefighters at an incident. Their job is to develop stratagies for firefighting crews, direct crews to complete tasks and provide those crews with the resources they need to safely eliminate a hazard. When at the fire station, they are responsible to insure that their department is ready to handle the next emergency. In Union Bridge, only the 'Chief' and 'Assistant Chief' are designated to wear the white helmet with a white or gold shield.
The Red helmet with a 'white' or 'red' shield, designates the rank of "Captain". During emergency situations, these individuals are tasked with many different things. They can be the "Incident Commander" if a Chief Officer is not on the scene; they can be a group leader to handle a specific area at an emergency; or they may be tasked as a company/unit officer, in-charge of their crew only. In the fire station, they usually have specific duties to maintain the fire apparatus and equipment in a state of readiness or responsible for anything a Chief requires them to take care of. In large departments with many fire stations, the Captain may be in-charge of an entire fire station. In Union Bridge, only a 'Fire Captain' is designated to wear the red helmet with a white shield.
The Blue helmet with a 'white' or 'blue' shield, designates the rank of "Lieutenant". During emergency situations, these individuals can be tasked with many different things. They can be the "Incident Commander" if a Chief Officer or Captain is not on the scene; they can be a group leader to handle a specific area at an emergency; or they may be tasked as a company/unit officer, in-charge of their crew only. In the fire station, they are usually given specific duties to maintain the fire equipment in a state of readiness or responsible for anything a Chief requires them to take care of. In Union Bridge, only a 'Fire Lieutenant' is designated to wear the blue helmet with a white shield.
The Yellow helmet can designate several different things in a fire department. Specific firefighter ranks can also be designated by the color and writing on the shield. A 'green' shield can be used to designate the "Safety Officer". During an emergency, this individual is responsible to insure that all firefighters are wearing the proper personal protective equipment for the situation, constantly monitors a variety of scene hazards and, in the event that a firefighter is ill or injured, insures that all of the appropriate documentation is completed. This individual also has the authority to 'order' an evacuation of personnel in the event of imminent danger.
As stated above, the Yellow helmet can designate several different things in a fire department, pertaining to the rank of firefighter. Another twist with the colors of helmets involves Black and Brown helmets. In this case, the rank of an individual is then determined by the color and writing on the shield. A 'yellow' or 'black' shield designates the rank of "Firefighter". In Union Bridge, a firefighter can be appointed to the position of "Sergeant". These individuals have no specific color designation and are primarily only in-charge of a company/unit crew if a ranking fire officer is not available. For more information about a "Sergeant", visit the "Fire Officers" page in the "Operations" section.
During an emergency, firefighters are responsible to complete the tasks required by their company/unit officer; and as directed by "Incident Command". These individuals deploy hose lines to extinguish fires; perform search and rescue tasks: deploy ladders for rescues; use a variety of tools and equipment to ventilate, conduct overhaul operations or conduct salvage operations; or they may even be using rescue tools during vehicle collisions. In any case, firefighters can be tasked with a variety of duties on an emergency scene, depending on what the emergency is.
They are considered the 'workers' in the rank and file system. When they are at the fire station, firefighters are often responsible for cleaning the apparatus, tools and other equipment like hose, ladders, air packs (SCBA) and so much more. They also practice doing the job. Training to do the things that they would normally do at an emergency, which helps firefighters to be more efficient on the next emergency.
There is one last color designation used and that is the color "Orange". The color 'orange' designates a new or "Probationary Firefighter" that has no fire training; or a new member with previous training that has not completed proficiency evaluations within the department, to insure they are capable of performing firefighting duties.
Either the entire helmet or just the shield is 'orange'. As they begin their training, they get to a point where they are permitted to respond on emergencies as an "Observer", which provides them with a chance to do 'On-The-Job' training.
They are not allowed to enter structures or perform some of the more complex fire ground duties while the incident is not under control. They can assist in doing some firefighting duties, but must be accompanied by a ranking officer or firefighter. They are also not considered as "staffing" on an emergency.
In Union Bridge, "Probationary Firefighters" wear a Yellow, Black or Brown helmet with an 'orange' shield. Upon completion of the MFRI 'Firefighter I' program; and after satisfactorily completing an evaluation at the fire station, they receive a 'yellow' shield to designate the rank of "Firefighter". This usually takes about one (1) year to complete.
The Red helmet with a 'white' or 'red' shield, designates the rank of "Captain". During emergency situations, these individuals are tasked with many different things. They can be the "Incident Commander" if a Chief Officer is not on the scene; they can be a group leader to handle a specific area at an emergency; or they may be tasked as a company/unit officer, in-charge of their crew only. In the fire station, they usually have specific duties to maintain the fire apparatus and equipment in a state of readiness or responsible for anything a Chief requires them to take care of. In large departments with many fire stations, the Captain may be in-charge of an entire fire station. In Union Bridge, only a 'Fire Captain' is designated to wear the red helmet with a white shield.
The Blue helmet with a 'white' or 'blue' shield, designates the rank of "Lieutenant". During emergency situations, these individuals can be tasked with many different things. They can be the "Incident Commander" if a Chief Officer or Captain is not on the scene; they can be a group leader to handle a specific area at an emergency; or they may be tasked as a company/unit officer, in-charge of their crew only. In the fire station, they are usually given specific duties to maintain the fire equipment in a state of readiness or responsible for anything a Chief requires them to take care of. In Union Bridge, only a 'Fire Lieutenant' is designated to wear the blue helmet with a white shield..jpg)
The Yellow helmet can designate several different things in a fire department. Specific firefighter ranks can also be designated by the color and writing on the shield. A 'green' shield can be used to designate the "Safety Officer". During an emergency, this individual is responsible to insure that all firefighters are wearing the proper personal protective equipment for the situation, constantly monitors a variety of scene hazards and, in the event that a firefighter is ill or injured, insures that all of the appropriate documentation is completed. This individual also has the authority to 'order' an evacuation of personnel in the event of imminent danger. 
As stated above, the Yellow helmet can designate several different things in a fire department, pertaining to the rank of firefighter. Another twist with the colors of helmets involves Black and Brown helmets. In this case, the rank of an individual is then determined by the color and writing on the shield. A 'yellow' or 'black' shield designates the rank of "Firefighter". In Union Bridge, a firefighter can be appointed to the position of "Sergeant". These individuals have no specific color designation and are primarily only in-charge of a company/unit crew if a ranking fire officer is not available. For more information about a "Sergeant", visit the "Fire Officers" page in the "Operations" section.
During an emergency, firefighters are responsible to complete the tasks required by their company/unit officer; and as directed by "Incident Command". These individuals deploy hose lines to extinguish fires; perform search and rescue tasks: deploy ladders for rescues; use a variety of tools and equipment to ventilate, conduct overhaul operations or conduct salvage operations; or they may even be using rescue tools during vehicle collisions. In any case, firefighters can be tasked with a variety of duties on an emergency scene, depending on what the emergency is.
They are considered the 'workers' in the rank and file system. When they are at the fire station, firefighters are often responsible for cleaning the apparatus, tools and other equipment like hose, ladders, air packs (SCBA) and so much more. They also practice doing the job. Training to do the things that they would normally do at an emergency, which helps firefighters to be more efficient on the next emergency.
There is one last color designation used and that is the color "Orange". The color 'orange' designates a new or "Probationary Firefighter" that has no fire training; or a new member with previous training that has not completed proficiency evaluations within the department, to insure they are capable of performing firefighting duties.
They are not allowed to enter structures or perform some of the more complex fire ground duties while the incident is not under control. They can assist in doing some firefighting duties, but must be accompanied by a ranking officer or firefighter. They are also not considered as "staffing" on an emergency.
