In 1886 the department bought their own alerting system, a bell
that would be installed inn their new quarters the following year.
In July of 1887 the department rented another piece of property
from Mr. Albert Reeves on Jobs Lane. It is here where they erected
their new house and bell.
In these early the men were very active and participated in
many tournaments. In 1889 the department became a member of the
Suffolk County Fireman’s Association.
In the 1890’s the Agawam Engine Company and the Hook & Ladder
Co. jointly built a Fire Station on Job’s Lane where the
present Job’s Lane Deli is located.
In 1891 the department purchased its first new apparatus a
hand drawn Runrey Engine. The purchase was made possible through
a donation from D.J. Barney. The same year the department purchased
their first new hose cart with donation from H.G. Trevor.
In 1894 the Village began to install Fire Hydrants throughout
the district. Over the next few years the department purchased
three more hose carts that were stationed strategically around
the Village in four separate stations. All the equipment was
hand drawn with the use of horses when available. This was the
case until 1912 era when gasoline powered apparatus began to
be used.
In 1923 the department and Village signed their first contract
with the Town of Southampton for fire protection in what became
known as the protection area. The same year the department moved
into its new Fire Station on Windmill Lane were the departments
main house is currently located and were zone 1 covers the central
exposures.
In 1959 the department added another station on Hampton Road.
This location remains the departments present day zone 2 and
covers the eastern exposures.
In 1976 the department expanded yet again adding its third
Firehouse on
St. Andrews Road. This is also the departments present day
zone 3 and covers the western exposures.
Alerting the firemen to emergencies was originally done by
bells which evolved to a steam siren on the Lighting Building,
then to an electronic siren installed by the village. A short
time later in 1974 the department bought their first set of Radio
Alerting Systems and equipped each member of the department with
a set which was made possible through a donation. The Alerting
System evolved from bulky home plectrons to what we have today,
small compact belt worn pagers.
The present day complement for the Southampton Volunteer Fire
Department is 145 members and 21 pieces of emergency response
apparatus.
