GOSHEN
Volunteer Fire Company
Mission Statement
STATION 74 - Middle Twp. Fire District 4
The mission of the Goshen Volunteer Fire Company is to serve the citizens and visitors to Goshen by providing fire prevention, protection of life and property and confinement and extinguishment of fire within the fire district and provide reasonable mutual aid and cooperation to neighboring fire districts.
About Goshen Volunteer Fire Company
The Goshen Volunteer Fire Company is an all volunteer company consisting of 30-35 members operating from a single station located at 331 State Highway 47 North. We respond to requests for fire, rescue, and EMS assistance while maintaining a very active role in our community. Averaging over 50 calls each year, GVFC serves the 17-square-mile Fire District #4 of Middle Township and responds into the other 3 fire districts in Middle Township, Dennis Township and as far as Avalon. Our Tender truck is called to cover some of our surrounding communities when needed.
Goshen is located in Cape May County, New Jersey and is part of 64-square-mile Middle Township with 3 other fire companies and 2 rescue squads. State Highway Route 47 runs through the District for 6.5 miles, is one of three major highways to the busy southern shore area of our state, and gives us many MVC calls. We are primarily a small bedroom and farm community with two boat marinas.
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HISTORY of the GOSHEN VOL. FIRE CO.
In 1947, a group of men in the village of Goshen sat down and formed the first fire company in Goshen. This group had about 22 men in it. The list of the men is on the office wall in the station.
Over the first 40 years, this company was part of Middle Township Fire District No. 1 Board of Fire Commission. This board would give the Goshen Fire Company a little money and old equipment from their company.
The Goshen group also received additional equipment from other fire companies in Cape May County.
Then in about 1967, the fire company had the Goshen School House sold to them for $1.00 from the Middle Township Board of Education. This school house was used for a bank note so that Goshen Fire Company could buy its first new fire truck. The first new truck, 7431, was a 2-man Chevrolet truck with a 750 gpm pump and a 750 gal. water tank. This truck served Goshen for 20 years.
In the late 1970s, the Goshen Fire Company went to the Middle Township Fire District No. 1 and asked approval to start their own fire district. This did not set well with Fire District No. 1. To get their own fire district, it would take action by the New Jersey State Government passing a law to divide one district in to 2 districts.
In 1987, the Goshen Vol. Fire Co. received its second new truck, 7430, a Ford series 8000 with a 1000 gpm pump and a 1000 gal. tank with a 5-man cab, two inside and three men outside in the back of the cab.This truck has 1000 feet of 3-inch hose for water supply and 2 pre-connected 1-1/2" hand lines. The truck also has a rear 2-1/2" discharge with a 300-ft. 1-1/2" hand line, and a 250-ft. 2-1/2" master line and a master stream (1000 gpm) on top of the truck.
In 1992, the company added a third bay on the firehouse. This bay has the same square footage as the main hall. Grace Oil Company donated a used oil truck so we could use it as a Tender (Tanker 7490). We had 3 to 4 people work on this truck for some time. This truck worked well when it was completed. We could get over 1000 gpm out of this truck with a pumper on it. This truck lasted until about 2003.
In 1997, the company ordered another new pumper. This truck, 7431, was a Ferrara 1000 gpm pumper with a 1000 gal. water tank. the truck has 2000 feet of 4" supply line, two 1-1/2" handlines on the sides and one 300-ft. 1-1/2" hand line and one 300-ft. 2-1/2" master line in the rear of the truck and a master stream (1000 gpm) on top.
In 2004 the Goshen Volunteer Fire Company applied for our fourth request for federal money under the U.S. Firefighter Grant Act. Over the next nine months the Chief received three phone calls and four e-mails from the grant personal requesting additional information regarding the grant application. In November 2004, Representative Frank LoBiondo called Fire Chief Myers to inform him the grant had been granted to the Company for the requested replacement of the old oil truck with a new tender/ pumper. The company placed out for bid the required paper work for the new tender/pumper. E-One Fire Apparatus was granted the bid and built a new 2005 E-One Tender/Pumper with a 1250 gpm. pump and a 3000 gallon water tank.
Three preconnect 1 3/4” hand lines, one 2 1/2” preconnect hand line and one 3” master preconnect line. This engine has a master stream mounted just to the rear of the top mounted pump panel. There is 1000 feet of 4” supply line on the engine. The cab has a sitting capacity for 6 seats, as well as the air packs for the firefighters and two jump seats. This Engine has been an asset to the Goshen Volunteer Fire Company.
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