History

1951 Ward Lafrance
1951 Ward Lafrance

Wilkes-Barre was incorporated as a borough on March 17, 1806. One year later, on March 31, 1807, Councilman Charles Miner made a motion to appoint a committee to explore the possibility of purchasing firefighting equipment. That was the birth of the City of Wilkes-Barre Bureau of Fire.

At first there was a bucket brigade. It was not until the spring of 1818 that Wilkes-Barre obtained it first piece of fire equipment, the Davey Crockett. It was a used, hand operated pump which was purchased from the Philadelphia Fire Department for the sum of $300.

The first steam engine was an Amoskeag, named Mechanic, which was purchased in 1870. It was pulled by firefighters, and was housed at Protection Company on West South Street.