Fire departments, unlike mushrooms do not spring up overnight. They require a dedicated group of community minded individuals who are willing to give some of their own time and money to meet a very real need. A fire destroyed the Charleston Pulp Mill in 1947 and this may have been the stimulus for the residents of Charleston, Danesville, Mill Village and Port Medway to form fire departments. There had also been a number of forest fires in the area. In any event the residents of Mill Village under the leadership of Alfred N. Mack and James F. Donly with the support of the district ladies and others brought about the formation of The Mill Village and District Fire Department in 1948. The founding members were:

Raymond Anthony
Vernon Anthony (Second Chief)
Ralph Connnolly
James Donly (First Chief)
Hugh Lockwood
Richard Lockwood
Alfred B. Mack (father of current member Alfred Mack)
Alfred N. Mack
Rex Melanson
Harold Rhodenizer
Donald Shupe
Leo Weagle

The ladies helped organize a number of fund raising events to help buy needed equipment. They also supplied food and refreshments to those responding to fires.

At the time the Mill Village and District Fire Department came into existence, the nearest fire department was at Liverpool. There was no Highway 103 and all traffic used Highway 3 to go from Bridgewater to Liverpool passing over the Mill Village bridge after winding its way through Hebbville, Hebbs Cross, Middlewood, and Danesville and then on to Sandy Cove, Bristol and the two lane bridge at the Mersey River. The roads to Charleston and Port Medway were not the greatest and that held for the road to East Port Medway as well. Even into the 1970’s one often went to Medway Station to pick up freight from T. A. Eatons and Sears. The bridge over the Medway on Highway 103 opened in 1973 but from there the 103 originally went down the current Highway 3 to reach Liverpool with the sharp curve just before Herring Cove. Clearly, a fast response from the Liverpool volunteer fire department was not going to be a matter of 30 minutes. Summoning the Liverpool Fire Department was done by phone. It was some time after 1973 that dial phones came to the Village. Before that one had to turn a crank to reach the switchboard at Carmen Anthony’s house run by his wife, Ninna. There was a pay phone located at the old Irving gas station.

Summoning the fire department members was done using a very loud siren  mounted on a mast behind the Fire Hall along with other sirens  within the community. Because of the topography some members in the Village would not always hear the siren. The use of pagers is relatively new. Originally the paging service was in Bridgewater, then in Liverpool but now Valley Dispatch is our service provider and we now have 911.

MILESTONES

1947 A meeting of local residents was held at the Mill Village Community Hall to propose the formation of a Fire Brigade for Mill Village, Charleston and Danesville. James Donly led the meeting.

1948 The first meeting of the Fire Brigade was held at the community hall.

1951 A building was purchased by James Donly and donated to the Brigade for use as a fire hall. The building was transported from Happy Landing and was situated across the road from the present hall.

1957 Moved by members that the Department be incorporated. Department subsequently incorporated in May, 1958.

1961 District increased to include East Port Medway, Port Medway, and East and West Berlin up to Eagle Head Church.

1962 A rate payers' meeting was held and a tax of $2.75 per property was levied to enable the department to purchase a fire truck. A 1935 Chevrolet pumper was purchased from the Liverpool Fire Department.

1935 OPEN CAB CHEVROLET PUMPER PURCHASED FROM LIVERPOOL FIRE DEPARTMENT ON JULY 7, 1962

Pictures supplied by Dave Darby, Curator, Firefighters’ Museum of Nova Scotia

1964 Gordon Hubley bought the abandoned Mill Village School House and donated it for fire department use.

1970 Weekly bingos were started as a fund raising effort for the department.

1972 Major renovations to building included the addition of a garage to accommodate equipment. Kitchen space and washroom facilities were added to the west side of the building.

1973 Hall renovations reconfigured inside from a two-room concept to one of a large hall. Department Ladies' Auxiliary formally organized. Gordon J. Hubley, donor of old school house given life membership scroll by Chief Edson Rhodenizer.

1974 A 1969 Dodge five-ton converted tanker was purchased.

1976 Ten members from Danesville joined department. Department joined South Shore Mutual Aid Association.

1978 An enumeration was conducted of all building's in the District.

1979 A 1964 panel truck was purchased from Liverpool Fire Department to be used as an ambulance. New fire rescue equipment, including air-lock breathing apparatus, was purchased financed by door-to-door canvassing.

1979 The 1935 Chevrolet open-cab truck loaned to Yarmouth Fire Museum where it remains to this day.

1981 Two-way radios were purchased to provide better communications for members.

1982 A 1981 International pumper was purchased and is still in use. Department decided to support Emergency Measures Organization. Initial St. John Ambulance first aid course was held at hall.

1983 Twenty-eight members were fully equipped with up to date fire fighting clothing. The garage was expanded to house more equipment. Don Shupe and Richard Lockwood received commendations for 30 years of service, presented at Province House, Halifax, by Hon. John Buchanan.

1985 Queens Mutual Aid Association formed.

1986 A 1963 Chevrolet cab-over pumper was purchased. The converted Dodge tanker was up for disposal.

1989 Pager system in effect.

1991 Previous system of elected officers was by district changed to truck allocation.

1993 Eleven members passed Level 1 Firefighters' Certification Course.

1994 Department hires Scotia Business Centre, Bridgewater, as a 24-hour answering service and pager call-out.

1994 A 1989 Ford cube van was received for use as a utility vehicle for air packs, bunker gear and communications. Vehicle is also used as on-scene command vehicle at any emergency.

1997 Department changed answering service to Liverpool call-out system, paid for by municipality. 911 in effect for all emergencies.

1998 In February, the first female firefighter, Joy Mack, joined the department.

2003 Donnie Whynot became the longest serving Mill Village Fire Chief.

2003 Department takes delivery of 1999 Ford F550 4X which is equipped with a Compressed Air Foam (CAFI) System which uses 450 imp.gal. of water to furnish 3600 gallons of dry foam.

2008 With the aid of a Provincial Grant, a set of Lancia Jaws of Life were purchased and members of the three departments received training in their use.

2008 A Jordair Compressed Air Filling Station for filling breathing apparatus tanks was purchased and will be used to fill BA for the three departments.

LADIES AUXILIARY

The Department has been strongly supported by the Ladies Auxiliary since its beginning. The Auxiliary was formally organized in February, 1973. Through its efforts, many thousands of dollars have been raised to aid the Department.