Company Profile: East Amherst FD

wehrlin@eafd.org

rusin@eafd.org

EAFD is a Fire Protection District with an approximate population of 21,000 residents. Their district extends to Hopkins Road to the west, Transit Road to the east, Maple Road to the south, and it's northern most border is North French Road. They also cover a portion on the Town of Clarence. Some notable businesses in their district include Millard Fillmore SuburbanHospital, Transit Valley Country Club, and Grover's Restaurant. In 2018 EAFD responded to 965 total incidents (725 EMS and 240 Fire/Other)

In 1922, the company acquired its first motorized apparatus, a Brockway Motor Fire Truck, Model E-2. This truck was purchased for $1,500.00. The two 35 gallon chemical cylinders were removed from the original pull-cart and mounted on the new motorized truck. In 1928 the cylinders were removed from the truck and replaced with a Barton 350 GPM (three hundred and fifty gallon-per minute) front mount pump. In July of 1939, The Transit Fire Company approved the purchase of a new fire engine to be built by Cayasler Manufacturing Corporation of Buffalo, New York. This State-of-the-art piece of apparatus was one of the first ten closed-caps fire engines built by Cheverolet. On November 17, 1940, the Transit Fire Company fire hall was completely destroyed by fire. The new 1939 pumper was saved and is still owned by the East Amherst Fire Department. Within a year of the fire, a new 2 story masonry structure was built on the same lot of the fire company.

Through the years, the rural farmlands of the East Amherst area gradually became a sprawling urban community and the fire company constantly strived to upgrade its equipment and improve its service. In 1953 the first ambulance, a 1942 GMC, was purchased for the fire company by the Ladies Auxiliary.

In June 1948, The Transit Fire Company purchased the Muegel Inn located on Transit and Muegel Roads. It was a seven acre lot with ready made buildings that would meet their needs. The mason building was sold a few years later.

In 1962, the old buildings on Transit and Muegel Roads were demolished and replaced with a new building.  The East Amherst Fire Department of East Amherst, New York was organized 1n 1919 by a group of local residents, who, sharing a mutual concern for fire protection, purchased an American LaFrance No. 11 chemical fire engine two-wheeled pull-cart with money from their own pockets. This group was led by Philip P. Paultler and the Muegel Brothers, George, Christian, and Louis. The first meeting of record of the East Amherst Fire Company was held on March 6th, 1920. The fire company was officially incorporated in 1927.

EAFD has a Surface Ice Rescue Team as well as some members trained in Dive Rescue. Also they are the only fire company in the towns of Amherst, Clarence, and Newstead providing advanced EMT-Paramedic care 24/7 to its residents, and we can provide this service if requested to our neighboring fire companies. They partner with Twin City Ambulance for paramedic and transportation service.