Otisville Fire Department

Eagle emblem In 1890 the Excelsior Hose and Chemical Company was formed. At that time Otisville was known as a rural major train town with the O&W and Erie Railroad Lines stopping to let off and load passengers and produce from the area. In 1907 the Otisville Hook and Ladder Company (independent of the Excelsior Hose and Chemical Company) was formed in order to give the area better fire protection. In 1907 the Hook and Ladder building and equipment was destroyed in a storm and the company was never re-established. In 1926 the Excelsior Hose and Chemical Company (equipment and members) was absorbed into the present day Otisville Fire Co., with 50 charter members.

At present the Otisville Fire Co. is a volunteer force of 55 active members and currently has 14 active members with over 20 years of service. Quite a few of the members are second and third generation, following in their family's footsteps. OFC's rural history has given the volunteers a good work ethic and an understanding of mechanics, safety and a history of what has taken place in the area.

Otisville Fire Co. operates six apparatus. This equipment include all of the following: An engine, an engine/tender, rescue engine, tower ladder, brush truck and a multi-purpose unit used for medical, rescue support as a rapid/remote area attack engine and for traffic control.

The services provided are for the Otisville area and ten surrounding fire departments. The actual services are for fire suppression, fire prevention, rapid intervention team, heavy rescue (collapse, vehicle and machinery extraction, rope rescue, cold water/ice rescue, confined space), ops level (hazardous materials and decontamination) and emergency medical response.

Otisville has had a long history of city, state and federal relationships. In 1906 the City of New York opened their Municipal Sanatorium of the Departments of Hospitals in Otisville. The purpose of this 1300 acre complex was to treat tuberculosis. The sanatorium was also used as a military hospital prior to World War I. In 1955 the New York State Division for Youth purchased the premises in order to convert it to a New York State Otisville Training Facility. In 1976 the facility was converted once again and became the New York State Otisville Correctional Facility. Lastly, a separate Federal Correctional Institute was opened in 1980 on the same property. To this day, Otisville Fire Co. is responsible for all fire, rescue, hazardous material, vehicle accidents and EMS calls for both the state and federal facilities.

Additionally, a railroad tunnel passes through Otisville and is owned and maintained by NJ Transit. This tunnel is the longest unvented tunnel in the northeast. This railroad line is currently a NYC commuter transit line (with a station in Otisville) and is also used as a freight line, which runs throughout the northeast. OFC handles any emergencies that occur in the tunnel or on the railroad line. Finally, The Mary P. Bonen Elementary Regional School District (which covers Otisville, Town of Mt. Hope, Greenville and Howells) is also located in this coverage area.

The Town of Mt. Hope was Incorporated in 1825 and The Village of Otisville was Incorporated in 1921. Although Otisville Fire Co. is not a fire district, 80 percent of the working budget comes from the Town of Mt. Hope. The fire company is governed by the Village of Otisville Board of Trustees. At present the combined demographics are 27 percent agriculture, 70 percent residential and 3 percent commercial/industrial. It is a rural bedroom community and the major employer is the state correctional facility. In addition a large portion of the Town and Village residents commute to New York City. As of the 2000 census there are 7,628 people. The total covered area is 19.972319 square miles. Both the village and town are very community minded and involved with local sports, churches, organizations and park activities. The average family size is 3.33.