By Lake Shore Fire Company

In April 1944, about 76 years ago, A forest fire raged throughout this peninsula…

From Lake Shore ,to North Shore, to Boulevard Park, to Sillery Bay and headed toward Long Point. It burned for miles and miles stopping at the water’s edge. Personnel from surrounding fire companies, as well as prisoners of war, soldiers, coast guardsmen, and all available men from the community helped to combat this fire and keep it from spreading. This horrible fire made the community of lake shore realize that they needed A fire department. A small group of local men held A meeting at the Holmes brother’s store (across the street) to lay plans for A fire department. Thomas J. Holmes sr. Was appointed the chairman of the group and ultimately elected the 1st President of the Lake Shore VFC. The group then met at Mt. Carmel church hall for their meetings. The 1st social event fund raiser held was A dance at the Pinehurst pavilion in Pinehurst on the bay down the end of mountain road. After a number of successful fundraising events, the treasury began to grow. While the men of the community were forming the fire company, the women of the community were forming A ladies auxiliary. The ladies auxiliary purchased this property (the white marsh church property) for the Lake Shore VFC to be built. Four months after the fire, second hand fire engine was purchased from the Catonsville fire company for $700. The engine was housed on Gibson island until the fire company became active.

Once it became official, the engine was housed in Ernest g. Ruth’s barn at the corner of mt. And north shore road. Our 1st oyster roast was held in February of 1945 and over A $1,000 was raised. Now the plans were being made to build A firehouse. After much discussion, it was decided to dig A partial cellar under the firehouse in which bingo parties and socials were held. It was dug free of charge by Mr. Flanigan and the dirt was sold. The building contract was given to Herbert Linthicum. The building was to be made of cinder block with A red brick front. The building was to contain: A large room for the engine, meeting room, kitchen, 2 restrooms and A large basement room. The building was started in 1945, A year after the forest fire. Meetings were held at Easter's pavilion in the meantime. Later in 1945, A special meeting was held to elect officers for the active firemen of the association: William lee Harrington was elected the 1st chief. In the summer of 1945, A successful crab feast was held at Easters pavilion and shortly after the ladies held A carnival on the fire company grounds, making over $1300. In September 1945, we were able to hold our first meeting in the new fire hall. The ladies furnished the kitchen and we continued to serve suppers in our own building.

During the winter, all firemen attended fire training school at riviera beach vfc, being trained in firefighting and first aid. Those who graduated received certificates from the university of Maryland firefighting division. Mr. Smith, then president of the company asked the ladies auxiliary for A loan of $1000 to purchase A new fire engine. The ladies unanimously voted to give the money, not loan. We also found the A.A.County commissioners approved our request to be placed on county payroll with paid chauffeur and would go into effect when we got our new engine. In October 1945, we sent our first delegates to the msfa convention in Hagerstown. Mr. Hugh Holmes was one of those delegates. We held bingo parties every Friday night. Movies were held every Saturday and Sunday but were discontinued because there was not enough room to make them profitable. In March of 1946, we went into active service – 24 hours A day. We had no regular chauffeur yet, so all volunteers…men and women had to take shifts of several hours, both day and night. This went on until the paid chauffeurs were hired in June of 1946. Paul Coltrane and Arthur schoolbook were our 1st paid chauffeurs. In December 1946, we received our new fire engine from the Mack truck company.