History Of The Jackson Twp. Vol. Fire Co. # 1

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Prior to 1950 Jackson Township was home to rural communities all along hyson road and bennetts mills road. The area at that time was all agricultural, mostly chicken farmers. With an approximate population of 2500 people being Jackson Residents. The only fire protection in the area was Freehold Fire Dept. Adelphia Fire Dept. Howell Fire Dept. and Lakewood Fire Dept. Along with neighboring community Departments - (Jackson Mills Est. 1930 and Cassville Est. 1939)

The Jackson Twp. Volunteer Fire Company No. 1 was chartered on March 3'rd 1951. It was originally named the "Hulses Corner Fire Company" and was located on Brooks Road (now North New Prospect near the I- 195 Overpass.) Adequate manpower and membership was established from the local farmers, and in 1961 - 11 Members joined together and leveraged their own money and houses as collateral, to purchase the land and building we occupy to this day. Thanks to those founding members the Volunteer Company owns and operates the main station at 113 North New Prospect Road on their own accord.

Over the following years developers began to come down and develop much of the once agricultural area. This included Robin Estates, Edgewood, Brookwood, Lafyette Park, Harfield, Pennat Club or Regency Club Apts. Woodmere and Pineview Apts. Eventually, overtime Jackson Twp. became to be known as a bedroom community, thus eventually leaving minimal or no manpower for fire suppression during the day. In 1971 the Jackson Township Fire District # 3 Board of Fire Commissioners hired a paid driver, thus becoming a combination department. Also in 1971 the Substation (55-1) was constructed at the Kierch Memorial Drive Location. Today we continue to have a combination Career Department which currently employs 12 Full time Firefighter/ EMT's. But the root of the Volunteer has not died, today our Department is lucky to have close to 50 Volunteer Firefighters on the rolls to continue making history for years to come.