Company History

2000 – At a company meeting, a brand new 2000 IHC/Pierce Contender Commercial Pumper (1250/1000) was voted on to be purchased, and built at the Pierce Manufacturing Facility in Bradenton, Florida. It was then driven to the local Pierce dealer, Glick Fire Equipment Fire Company in Bird – in – Hand, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania for acceptance. Members then drove the new Engine 52 home to the Beale Township Fire Company. This was the first brand new piece of apparatus for the company.

2008 – A 1990 Pierce Lance Pumper Tanker (1750/3000) was purchased from the Farmersville Fire Company in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. (Tanker 53/Tanker 5).

• Due to fire apparatus getting larger, and more room needed, a decision was made to erect a new 3 bay station. On January 17th 2008, a “Ground Breaking Ceremony” was celebrated for the future building on a plot, just one block down from the current station, of which was donated by the Sheaffer Family. The rigs were officially housed in the fall of 2008 in a new 3 bay station with a gear room, an office, engineer room, and a mechanical room. 

• The old station was then turned into a “social hall”, and the inside was finished with drywall and a drop ceiling. In the past few years, the social hall has received some upgrades such as, an electronic (key fob) access control system for the man doors, central air conditioning, an upgraded addition, epoxy floor, a new handicapped front entry door, as well as a kitchen remodel.

• The station has also undergone some renovations over the past few years, including a bathroom installation, a new office space, and overhead storage. Other upgrades include an electronic (key fob) access control system for the man doors, complete insulation, and finishing of the inside with steel, a new heating and ventilation system, a stand – by generator system, along with updated interior LED lighting, to help reduce energy consumption and cost. More improvements are done each year to the buildings, and are only made possible by occasional grants, donations, and fundraising from the community.

Summer of 2009 – The Coon Hunters’ Club Association building and grounds, located in Tuscarora Township, Juniata County, Pennsylvania was generously donated to the fire company, due to lack of Coon Hunters’ Club Association membership. The fire company has since erected a new pavilion with kitchen, and a stage. Many other small upgrades were added over the years.

April 14th, 2014 – At 8:00AM, on this date, the Juniata County County 911 Center switches (changes over) to a brand new, UHF Band, mixed mode, multi – channel/repeater, Analog/P25 Digital Conventional county – wide radio system, shared by Fire and EMS users, thus phasing out the old VHF Low Band, 46.06Mhz (Fire 1/Dispatch) and 46.10Mhz (Fire 2/Fireground OPS) for Fire users, and UHF MED 9 (462.950) for EMS users.

March 31st, 2015 – A 2000 EONE Cyclone II Pumper was purchased from the Wyoming Hose Company #1 in Wyoming, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania. (Engine 52)

April of 2015 – The 2000 IHC/Pierce Contender Pumper was sold to the Sinking Valley Fire Company in Altoona, Blair County, Pennsylvania. Currently serving as Engine 24-1.

April 16th, 2016 – Under new management, the 2000 EONE Cyclone II Pumper was sold to the Radcliffe Fire Department in Radcliffe, Hardin County, Iowa. Currently serving as Engine 431. 

May 9th, 2016 –  A “New to Us” Engine 52 was purchased and transported from the Yaphank Fire Department in Yaphank, Suffolk County, New York (Long Island), a 1990 Pierce Lance (1250/750) pumper.

February 9th, 2017 – At 10:28AM that snow – covered morning, a 3 Alarm Building Fire occurred in Beale Township, Juniata County, Pennsylvania, at 16551 Route 35 South, at the former E&M Equipment (Farming Equipment Repair) business. All 9 of the Juniata County fire companies were dispatched to the scene, along with many Perry, Mifflin, and Huntingdon County fire units either on the scene, or on Transfer Assignment (Cover/Move – up) throughout Juniata County. The building was deemed a complete and total loss, and the incident was not cleared (wrapped up) until 1:00PM that day. This was one of the largest incidents (fires) in Beale Township Fire Company history. 

January 17th, 2020 – A “New to Us'” Brush 56 was purchased from LiL’ Beav’s Auto Outlet LLC in Selinsgrove, Snyder County, Pennsylvania, a 2008 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD Pickup. All of the emergency equipment, along with other miscellaneous equipment, was installed in – house, by various members of the fire company.

January 31st, 2020 – The 1995 Ford F-250 Pickup (Brush 56) was sold to a Juniata County private civilian, all emergency equipment, along with the skid unit, was removed. The skid unit would be (re)used on the 2008 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD Pickup.

May 21st, 2021 – At 12:00AM, on this date, Fire units in Juniata County started using single digit numbers, to make identification more simple. Example: Engine 52 will now be Engine 5, Tanker 53 will be Tanker 5, Brush 56 will be Brush 5, Chief 51 would now be Chief 5 and so on. EMS Company Units did not change. 

September 26th, 2021 – Four members of the fire company travel to the Seaford Fire Department in Seaford, Nassau County, New York (Long Island) to inquire on a 1998 Pierce Lance (1500/750) pumper.

June 6th, 2022 – The 1998 Pierce Lance Pumper was purchased, and delivered to a nearby farming equipment shop, to be unloaded. The fire company voted to have the engine transported from Seaford, New York to Port Royal, Pennsylvania by the B. Blair Corporation of Ivyland (Warminster), Pennsylvania, due to travel distance and safety.

June 15th, 2022 – The 1990 Pierce Lance Pumper was sold to the Salem Ryal Fire Department in Henryetta, McIntosh County, Oklahoma. Two Salem Ryal Fire Department Members drove from Oklahoma to Pennsylvania to pick up the pumper, and make the two day trip back with it to Oklahoma. 

June 16th, 2022 – Unfortunately, a tractor trailer forced the members of the Salem Ryal Fire Department (Old Engine 5) into a road barrier in Ohio, causing them to lose a rear tire. Luckily no injuries or truck damage occurred. A new rear tire was purchased, and their journey to Oklahoma continues. The members of the Salem Ryal Fire Department make it safely back to Henryetta, Oklahoma at around 10:00PM (Eastern Time). The 1990 Pierce Lance is currently serving as Engine 445.

March 23rd, 2023 – The current Engine 5 (1998 Pierce Lance) bank loan was paid off, using awarded funds from the 2022-2023 Pennsylvania Fire and EMS Grant from the Pennsylvania Office of the State Fire Commissioner, along with fire company funds paying the remaining balance not covered by the grant.  

June 24th, 2023 – That afternoon, Engine 5 departed the station with a crew of 5, to travel to the Borough of McVeytown in Mifflin County, Pennsylvania, to partake in the 100 Year Anniversary Parade and celebration, hosted by the McVeytown Volunteer Fire Company. (Mifflin County Station 18)