Fire Departments

The fire department building was completed in 1955. It was remodeled in 1974, and in 1985 the department built a second floor addition which includes a kitchen and community room, as well as adding fire bays. The current building has five truck bays and storage on the ground floor.

The department has the following equipment:

• 1967 Ford LaFrance Pumper 750 gallon
• 1967 Ford Tanker 1200 gallon
• 1978 Rescue vehicle
• 1979 Ford LaFrance Pumper 500 gallon
• 1995 Ford Tanker 2000 gallon

The department has approximately 20 active volunteer firemen, a five person Board of Commissioners, and an active Ladies Auxiliary with approximately 15 members.

The Painted Post Fire Service began in 1870 with the Ardell Hose Company and the Bronson Hook and Ladder Company. The Painted Post Fire Department was organized on April 21, 1886. The first recorded Fire Chief was H.B. Hodgman. The fire department was located in the present Erwin Town Hall building. In the 1940's the protection area that the Painted Post Fire Department was responsible for was the Village of Painted Post, Gang Mills, Presho, Monterey, Lindley, Coopers Plains, Hornby, Riverside and down to the Pennsylvania border and up to Addison and Campbell.

The first motorized piece of equipment was purchased in 1918. A Ladder/Hose truck was purchased in 1920 and the first fire engine was purchased in 1936, a Ward LaFrance 500 gpm pumper.

The Fire Department moved into the new Village Hall in 1952. A Rescue Squad was formed in 1953.

In 1969, Painted Post purchased and received two American LaFrance Series 900 1000 gpm diesel powered custom built fire engines. These two engines were the first diesel powered pieces of fire apparatus in Steuben County.

Today the Painted Post Fire Department provides fire protection to the Villages of Painted Post and Riverside and mutual aid to surrounding fire departments.

The fire department is a Municipal Volunteer Fire Department with an Insurance Services Organization (ISO) fire suppression rating of Class 4. The fire department is very proud of this rating because it is usually only earned by full time professional city fire departments.

Fire Fighting Equipment

• E-29 1991 E-One Hush Vista Cab, 10 person, 2000 gpm two stage pumper with 1000 gallons of water and Class A foam. An ISO Class A Engine.
• E-30 and E-27 "The Twins" 1969 Two (2) American LaFrance Series 900, 1000 gpm two stage pumpers with 300 gallons of water. E-30 is set up with tanker shuttle operations equipment. Two ISO Class A Engines.
• R-25 1994 E-One rescue truck and command center. Operations provided: SCBA air bottles, Amkus High Pressure Rescue Tool, Air Bags, Cell Phone, High and Low band communications, 5000 watts scene lighting, 16K PTO electrical source, air compressor for tools, ropes, forcible entry tools, medical and rehab units. CFR firefighters and HazMat operations.
• T-3 1974 American LaFrance 100 foot Ladder Truck, K-12 and chain saws, gas powered high capacity Ram Fan, ventilation operations and electrical generator supply.
• M-13 1996 Ford Aerostar personnel transporter, communications and CFR medical response capabilities.
• M-67 Pick Up truck 4WD, portable brush fire pump and 150 gallons of water (in season).
• Personnel: Fire Chief, Two Assistant Chiefs, Three Companies Officers (Engine, Rescue and Ladder) and a complement of 32 firefighters. The fire department is governed by the Painted Post Village Board and the municipal laws of the State of New York.