Buy The Book

A 430 page comprehensive history book on the 75 year history of the Funkstown Volunteer Fire company is now on sale.  The book includes a lot of information on the people and events of our community.  The cost of the book is $22.00 if purchased at the fire station or send a check or money order to:

75th History Book
PO Box 670
Funkstown, MD 21734

Be sure to include your name, phone number, and shipping address with your mail order.

Following a major fire which destroyed the Antietam Flour mill, a leading group of Funkstown citizens met on May 20, 1930 for the purpose of establishing a volunteer fire company to protect the community.  The first fire chief was John Talbert.  The Department started with a hose reel stored in a rented shed and responded on four fire calls the first year.  In 1931, the Department purchased a used White motorized chemical truck and hose wagon from the Junior Fire Company of Frederick, Maryland.  In 1935, the membership approved the purchase of a Ford chassis from the Hebb Motor Company of Funkstown, purchased a 350 GPM Darley Champion pump and constructed the department’s first pumper using the seats and much of the equipment from the White truck.

The Funkstown Volunteer Fire Company then reached an agreement to rent a part of the lower level of the Junior Order U.A.M. hall at 30 West Baltimore Street in Funkstown to serve as the first real home of the company.  In 1937, John K. Williams was elected fire chief, a position that he would hold for the next twenty-seven years.  The years during World War II were difficult for the company as many of the active young members were called to serve in the military and older members were pressed into service. 

In 1950, the company purchased a lot at the intersection of Baltimore Street and West Side Avenue and constructed the original two-story section of the present fire station, with the apparatus area and meeting rooms on the upper level and a social hall and kitchen downstairs.  In 1954, a Ford F750 chassis was purchased from Sharrett Motors of Hagerstown and a contract was signed with the Glenn D. Culbert Company for the construction of an American Marsh pumper with a 500 GPM front mounted Barton American Pump.  In 1955, the Funkstown Volunteer Fire Company burned the building mortgage and paid off the balance on the new pumper loan.  In five short years, the department had built a fire station, purchased a quality fire engine and become debt free.

The company placed one of the first water shuttle tankers in service in Washington County in 1965.  A 1967 Maxim 750 pumper was purchased and two upstairs bays and two downstairs bays were added to the fire station in 1967, under the direction of Fire Chief Henry Manspeaker.  Herb A. Smith and Jack Smith served as Fire Chiefs in the 1970’s.  During this same time period, the apparatus color was changed from red to lime yellow.  In 1976, the company purchased a Dodge van to transport manpower and equipment to emergency incidents.  In 1978, a major renovations and additions project was completed at the fire station, including additional apparatus bays, conversion of the original truck bays to administrative and lounge areas, and expanding the downstairs social hall. 

In 1980, the company purchased an Emergency One Ford 1000 GPM pumper.  In 1981, Kyd Dieterich became the Fire Chief and major changes would begin.  A new dormitory was constructed and administrative offices were expanded.  A unit would now respond on all life threatening emergency medical calls in the Funkstown response area.  Unhappy with the shortcomings of the 1980 Ford, this unit was sold and a new 1500 GPM 1987 Hahn pumper was placed in service.  In 1989, a small rescue squad was purchased to replace the utility van and expand the rescue services provided by the company.  Mike Weller served as Fire Chief in 1987 and 1988, followed by Larry Iseminger in 1989 through 1991, and then Kyd Dieterich returned as the Chief through the remainder of the 1990’s.  The company purchased a new 1994 KME 1500 GPM pumper with a 1000 gallon water tank and 80 gallons of foam.  A Suburban was placed in service to handle EMS responses and serve as the duty officer vehicle.

In 1999, the company had outgrown the small 1989 rescue squad; this unit was sold and was replaced by a 2001 KME heavy duty rescue squad.  Jon Gift became Fire Chief in 2000 followed by Jimmy Kershner in 2001.  In 2002, Jon Gift returned as Fire Chief and continues in that role today.  Since that time, the department has significantly expanded its response capabilities with additional equipment and the purchase of a new 2004 4-wheel drive Tahoe used as a duty officer vehicle and a new 2003 KME Urban-Interface pumper which was purchased with a FEMA FireAct grant award.