Welcome to Frankfort Center FD home

The Frankfort Center Fire department is located on Center Road in the west end of the town of Frankfort.  The department provides fire and Ems services for approximately 2000 residents who live in the 28 square mile area of the town.

In 1934 a group of Frankfort Center residents decided to join together to combat, at that time, the worst enemy of the rural community...... FIRE. At that time there was no fire departments covering this area, or the areas to the north or south of Frankfort Center. The initial coverage area of the department included the area now covered by the Schuyler Fire Department formed in 1949  and the Frankfort Hill Fire Department formed in 1953. By 1937, the Frankfort Center Volunteer Fire Department was incorporated and destined to grow to what it is today.

The department started with a cut-off Cadillac "squad car" stored in a neighborhood barn. With the use of F.D.R.'s WPA program, the firehouse in "the center" near St. Theresa's church was built. A hard-rubber wheeled, chain driven 1914 Pierce-Arrow fire apparatus was added upon completion of the building.  Along came World War 2 and every thing came to a standstill.

After the war, the G.I.'s returning brought youth and ambition back to the community and the growth process was back in motion. 1949 brought forth plans for a custom built Chevy tanker - to be built by Mohawk Metals - which was delivered and put into service in 1951. The young fire fighters "drill team" also had a 6 cylinder Ford F-1 squad car built. The was given the designation by the county as truck 302. The squad car later became truck 503 when it was being used as a rescue truck, and is still in the possession of the department.

A military surplus Ford pumper from WW2 was also brought in as truck 124 and served the community until 1969. By 1962, the department purchased a 1940 Ford tanker and a 1937 Diamond T 500 GPM pumper from the town of German Flats. During the 60's the department gained quite a bit of momentum due to the newer-younger members who joined in the late 50's and early 60's. More aggressive training and participation in county and state organizations and training programs brought forth a more realistic and meaningful set of goals for the department leadership.

In 1968 the department took delivery of a new Ford F-700 truck with a 350 GPM pump mounted midship and equipped with a 1300 gallon tank. This truck designated 313 served the department for 24 years as a prime piece of equipment, carring up to a million gallons of precious water to emergency scenes all over the south-western Herkimer county.

in 1973, due to the work by a lot people, a new fire house was built on the corner of Center and Welshbush roads. At the same time the department bought it's first Class A pumper, a 1973 GMC 750 GPM pumper with a 1500 gallon tank. This was the first truck designated as 154. In 1979 the department obtained a mini-pumper, designated 127, which had a 750 GPM front mount pump and 4 wheel drive. This truck carried most of the rescue equipment, jaws of life, generating equipment and medical equipment.

In the early 80's the department purchased a ladder truck form the Willowvale Fire Department which was a 1958 White ladder truck. This truck was had a manually operated ladder and had to be hand cranked to extend or rotate the ladder. The White ladder truck was replaced in 1987 by a refurbished Pierce Tele-Squirt, which in the opinion of many, is the envy of most Utica area and Valley area departments both paid of volunteer.  Also in the 80's a custom Maxim pumper was purchased from Bellmore Long Island as a replacement for truck 124. PASNY in trade for rights and privileges of  running their power distribution through the district covered by the department purchased a replacement truck for  tanker 302. This was a 1988 GMC with a 1000 GPM pump and a 1800 gallon tank. In 1989 a refurbished American LaFrance pumper with a 1000 GPM pump and a 1200 gallon tank was purchased to replace the ageing truck 154.

in 1991 another refurbished American LaFrance was bought and put in service to replace the ageing truck 313. in 1992 the department bought a Chevy 1-ton truck and had an aluminum ambulance body rebuilt and mounted on he frame. This truck is used as a rescue squad vehicle.

In 1996 the Masonic Home Built a three story apartment complex for senior citizens in the department’s jurisdiction. It was decided that a tower type ladder truck was needed to be able to safely rescue any elderly or handicapped residents from the building. The department bought a 1974 Mack Baker tower truck from the Bellefonte PA.  Fire Department. It was sent to Northern Fire Equipment for refurbishment and was placed in service in 1997 as Truck 406.

As we move along in time the department needed a utility vehicle and bought a GMC Jimmy and designated it as Car 5.  Next a replacement was needed for the ageing Maxim pumper so the department bought a 1974 Hahn pumper from the Baldwinsville Fire department and had it refurbished at Northern Fire Equipment. It was placed in service in 1999 designated 124 and the Maxim was given to the Frankfort town highway department to help with storm drain maintenance.

In 2003 the Chevy mini pumper 127 was showing it’s age and was replaced with a 2003 Ford f550 with a custom body made by Northern Fire Equipment and is currently in service.

The GMC Jimmy was replaced in 2005 with a 2004 Ford f250 pickup truck that was set up as a utility and backup rescue vehicle.

Tanker 302 was replaced in 2008 with a 2007 GMC with a 500 GPM pump and a 3500 gallon tank.