[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 159 (2013), Part 2]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 1659]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                        WASHINGTON FIRE COMPANY

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. LOU BARLETTA

                            of pennsylvania

                    in the house of representatives

                       Monday, February 25, 2013

  Mr. BARLETTA. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor the Washington Fire 
Company No 1. which will celebrate 155 years of service to the Borough 
of Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania and the surrounding counties.
   The Washington Fire Company is one of the oldest operations of its 
kind still servicing Cumberland County. Named after our country's first 
president, the company was formally constituted on February 22nd, 1858. 
The town hall was used to house equipment and hold meetings until 1860, 
when a firehouse was built on East Main Street, a facility the 
Washington Fire Company still uses to this day.
   The Washington Fire Company has been an important force against many 
historic fires in the region. Members of their workforce were present 
at the Thomas Printing fire in 1903, the Grantham Aircraft Engine Works 
and the Updegraf's Bowling Alley fires in 1956, the Brandtsville Train 
Wreck in 1963, the Arch Street School fire in 1972, and the fire at 
Rakestraw's Ice Cream in 1991. They continue to put their lives on the 
line to protect the people of Cumberland County.
   Mr. Speaker, for the last 155 years, the Washington Fire Company has 
acted as an important asset to the citizens of Mechanicsburg and the 
surrounding counties. Therefore, I commend the personnel who have 
faithfully worked to protect our community at this fire house.

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