Elizabethtown-Kitley Fire Department
“Edna’s Scrapbook”
is a paperback book written by Edna B. Chant and was published in 1998. Edna Chant was a reported with the “Athens Reporter” for 23 years and she is the author of four books.
Her book, which is made up of news clippings from various sources, from which we have taken excerpts, gives us a glimpse into life in our area for over a hundred year period ending with stories from 1975.
While her book covers many areas of Leeds and Grenville we have only focused on the area within Elizabethtown-Kitley Township.
Elizabethtown Fire Department
The Eizabethtown Volunteer Fire Department based at Lyn has an interesting history showing what a group of citizens can do if they put their minds to it. The project of forming a fire department was proposed at a meeting of the Lyn Community Club and on March 18, 1963 a meeting was held at the home of Arnold Ladd at which five men were appointed to form a committee to be the future Fire Department slate of officers. They were Arnold Ladd, chairman; Ivan Cross, Herb Simpson, Gerald Coon, Elton Tennant. In April a public meeting was held in the Lyn School when 24 men signed up offering their services as firefighters. The Township Council accepted these names proposed and approved the appointment of David McCrady as Fire Chief. Meetings were held every two weeks and many ways to make money were used such as dances, raffles and an auction sale. The first item of equipment purchased was a pumper truck on June 10, 1963 and they also got a 1957 oil tank and converted it to a water tank truck holding 1,300 gallons of water. The Township Council gave $1000. to purchase equipment and Fire Chief McCrady donated the land, the Township Council bought the material and the fireman did the work and a fire hall was erected. In 1964 a panel truck was purchased and by 1967 they had a new station wagon, two Scott air packs, two portable pumps, 5000 feet of hose, extension ladders, coats, hats, rubber-boots, uniforms for 25 men and they sent 14 men to attend Fire College at Gravenhurst. On September 5, 1967 Fire Chef McCrady resigned and was replaced by Deputy Chief George Williams and Ivan Cross was appointed Deputy Chief. Elizabethtown Township is justly proud of their Fire Department which now has modern radio equipment and an enlarged fire hall with a kitchen.
On July 18, 1966 a circus sponsored by the Lyn Firefighters Association was greatly enjoyed by both adults and children alike. But they were given a thrill they will never forget when one of the trapeze artists fell 50 feet from a high bar to the ground below. No net was being used. Women screamed and men jumped to their feet when Carmen Del Molion, a Spanish artist was seen to fall. She lay motionless on the ground as circus attendants rushed to her aid. She was carried to her trailer where she was attended by a doctor. It was later announced that no bones were broken but she was badly bruised and shaken up.
Kitley Fire Department
A new Kitley Fire Hall at Frankville was officially opened on July 23, 1966. Reeve Charlie Sands was master of ceremonies. Present were Reeve Borden Hutchings of North Crosby; Reeve E.A. McGregor of Westport; Reeve Wally Heffernan of Rear of Younge and Escott and Reeve Edgar Bresse of Newboro as well as Warden Donald Ferguson, Reeve Ernest Miller, Front of Younge; Fire Chief Dave McCrady, Elizabethtown; Fire Chief Edgar Fagan, Smiths Falls; Fire Chief Robert Bell, Augusta, Fire Chief Gerald Wing, Westport; members of Kitley Fire Department are Fire Chief Gerald Moran, Deputy Fire Chief Gerald Sands, Captain’s Gerald Mercier and Ray Ireland.
