About River Road VFC

The River Road Volunteer Fire Company Incorporated was the third of six fire districts created in the Town of Tonawanda, New York. The Town of Tonawanda, New York (Tonawanda (town), New York) is in Erie County of Western New York. The Town of Tonawanda includes the Ellwood Fire District, Kenilworth Fire District, Sheridan Park Fire District, Brighton Fire District and the Village of Kenmore Fire Department.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 20.4 square miles (52.7 km²), of which, 18.8 square miles (48.7 km²) of it is land and 1.6 square miles (4.0 km²) of it (7.66%) is water.

The north border of the town is the City of Tonawanda and Tonawanda Creek, which is part of the Erie Canal, and the west border is the Niagara River. Ellicott Creek flows parallel to Tonawanda Creek in the northern part of the town, with a confluence just east of the Niagara River. The east border, marked by US Route 62 (Niagara Falls Boulevard), is the Town of Amherst. Forming the southern border is the Village of Kenmore and the City of Buffalo.

Contents

History

Formed in 1929, River Road is the smallest firematic district both in size and residences in the Town of Tonawanda. The River Road Fire District occupies a small sliver of three residential streets in an area where heavy industry surrounds its district on all sides. There are several major industrial points of interest in the District 1 area including the Dunlop Tire Plant, Dupont Chemical Plant, FMC, 3M, GM Powertrain Plant and the NRG Huntley Power Plant. This abundance of heavy industry showcases the necessity for a fire station in this heavily industrial area of the town.

The River Road Fire Company is quartered at 59 Kaufman Avenue in a cramped two bay station. The current firehouse is in rough shape,showing it’s age having been built originally in 1929 with the founding of the fire company. There has been talk of a new firehouse which would be situated across the street in a lot owned by the Fire Company. Preliminary sketches and architectural plans have been made, with the possibility of construction starting sometime in the fall of 2009.

Over the years the membership had shrunk to the point where there was talk of disbanding River Road or merging them into another town fire company. However the recent events transpiring at the River Road Fire Company point to a new found interest in the fire company.

Apparatus

Engine 1 Class A Pumper

Engine 2 Class A Pumper

Chief 9 Full Size Ford SUV

Class A Pumper

A “Class A Pumper” is a pumper which meets the requirements listed here.  Typically, Class A Pumpers in laymans terms, are considered standard urban fire engines.

Firematic Calls

Since the district that River Road protects is so small, the amount of calls responded to within that district are minimal. River Road does respond to the area known as Old Town, a residential area adjacent to the GM Powertrain Plant as well as bordering the City of Buffalo’s Riverside neighborhood. However, most calls in the area of the River Road Fire District are classified District 1 with a full response from all town and village fire companies.

Emergency Medical Services

River Road as with all town companies does not respond to EMS calls with the exception of the Village of Kenmore Fire Department. All EMS Calls are handled by the Town of Tonawanda Police Department’s Paramedic Unit, which operates a total of three fly-cars. Patrols 44,47,and 49 respectively are the Paramedic response vehicles. Patients are transported via Twin City Ambulance.

Milestones

Due to extensive work by two of the firemen in the company Bernard S Misiura Jr (President of the organization 2008 - ????) and Jason Webb (Lieutenant 2008 - ????) a law was passed regarding membership limitations. This law was achieved with help from the honorable State Senator Mary Lou Rath and the Honorable State Assemblyman Robin Schimminger with thanks to Governor David A Paterson (David Paterson).

Specifically this law amends through exempting River Road Fire District #3 from subdivision 7 of section 176-b, of Town Law that mandates Fire Districts to have no more than forty-five Percent non-resident membership.

The Governor David A Paterson (David Paterson) signed this proposed bill into law on July 21, 2008.

The Ladies Auxiliary after being disbanded for over 20 years was officially resurrected in September 2008. This was one of the goals that President Misiura wanted to achieve in his term.

The transitional board that was elected in August 2008 was:

President Vice President Secretary Treasurer Sergeant At Arms Chaplain
Kathleen Vinovrski Jennifer Abbott Jennifer Abbott Kathleen Vinovrski Colleen Mayfield Eileen Mayfield

Current Officers as of Thursday, July 31, 2008

Firematic Officers Thursday, July 31, 2008

Chief 1st Assistant Chief 2nd Assistant Chief Captain 1st Lieutenant 2nd Lieutenant
Jim Poole Lou McNett Andy Mayfield Dan Mayfield Dale McNett Jason Webb

Social Officers Thursday, July 31, 2008

President Vice President Secretary Treasurer Sergeant At Arms Chaplain
Bernard S Misiura Jr Ed Poole Joe Waschensky Dan Mayfield Chris Leidolph Joe Waschensky

Officers For 2009

Firematic Officers

Chief 1st Assistant Chief 2nd Assistant Chief Captain 1st Lieutenant 2nd Lieutenant
Lou McNett Dale McNett Doug Hackett Bernard S Misiura Jr Jason Webb Don Abbott

Social Officers

President Vice President Secretary Treasurer Sergeant At Arms Chaplain
Bernard S Misiura Jr Shawn Leidolph Joe Waschensky Dale McNett Chris Leidolph Joe Waschensky

References

3. Bernard S Misiura Jr President, Captain, Historian

4. http://www.minnesotafireservice.com/grantsmainmenu_1901_toolsandequipment.html

External links

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