New Market

Fire and Rescue

9771 S. Congress St. New Market VA 22844

Mailing: P.O. Box 245 New Market VA 22844

540-740-8904

New Market Fire and Rescue

Our Story:

Our town consisted of 50 lots with 30 voters on 1 January 1791.
The Union Fire Company of New Market was formed 1805 to protect
the town's homes and businesses. Residents met regularly to conduct
business and passed one of the first fire safety laws on 26 May 1806.
the law stated: "that every owner of a house in New Market shall
furnish a sufficient leather bucket with the owner's name and
number thereon. Any person failing to furnish a bucket shall be
fined $3.00". In 1820-1627 the fire company's inventory was five 27 foot
fire ladders and five fire hooks strategically located in various locations.

The department was reorganized as the George Washington Fire Company in 1846. The town council authorized the purchase of a hand pumper in 1875. Our municipal water system was installed in 1926. New Market secured a gasoline powered pump in 1927, now that water was readily available. The engine was made out of an automobile donated by Mrs J.D. Manor and equipped with a high pressure pump.

On 15 February 1835 the department was reorganized again as New Market Fire Company. Mr T.R. Beahm was President and Mr. Ben Guard, Chief. The department consisted of 35 active and 20 associates charter members. The company was housed in the Town Hall Building. Annual expenses came in at $2,98. On 13 January 1937. The company ordered a new truck from Roanoke Welding Co for $2,919.

In 1947 the company acquired a 1947 one ton pickup with a front mounted pump and purchase a lot for the construction of a fire house for $3,500. In 1949 the department singed a $25,517 contract with Mr. Tom Good for the construction of a new firehouse that was completed in October that year.

The completion of the firehouse for the storage and maintenance of equipment was necessary to protect the towns fire fighting equipment purchased as follows:

Ford F-7 chassis with a 600 gallons per minute (gpm) pump was purchased for $10,232 in 1950.
Ford F-100 dual wheel mini-pumper was purchased for $8,970 in 1958
Ford F-600 1,200 gallon tanker was purchase in 1965
Ford F-900 1,000 gpm pumper with a 750 gallon booster tank was purchased in 1873
Chevrolet K-30 dual wheel, with four wheel drive and skid plates replaced the F-100 pickup in 1980

Our worst disaster was the loss of a family of five at the Otis Runion home in April 1973, and the loss of one person in the Martin G. Brubaker fire. Our largest property loss occurred when the Colonial Hotel burned in the Spring of 1961.

New Market Rescue Squad opened several years after the fire department. (more history on that to come)

In the year 2011, New Market Fire Department and New Market Rescue Squad joined forces thus creating, New Market Fire and Rescue.