Volunteer Fire Company prepares for its new beginning

SCRANTON, LACKAWANNA COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) — A volunteer fire company is getting some new digs. The Meredith Hose Company in Childs, Lackawanna County has begun moving its equipment into a new building.

After 76 years in the original fire hall, Meredith Hose Company is starting a new journey in a new building right behind the original.

“If we wanna grow, we gotta move,” said Tony Aileo Fire Chief of Meredith Hose Company.

After years of expanding the original fire hall to fit the company’s needs, Meredith Fire Hall finally got a new home.

“I just couldn’t believe it was happening. I mean, we were here. I was here personally for the first scoop to the last concrete was poured,” says Fire Chief Aileo.

Though the new building is directly behind the original, the new spot enhances safety for them, as well as other drivers on Route 6.

“You try backing out into Route 6 you never know what you’re gonna encounter there, what’s gonna come down the road, what state of mind someone’s in, you never know,” explained Fire Chief Aileo.

“We’re well off the road, pull into our own lot, and turn around back the trucks in neatly. It’s a lot safer for everybody and everything,” added Louis Gonsauls a volunteer fireman at Meredith Hose Company.

The new space will make the firemen’s duties more efficient from putting on gear to cleaning up.

“Over there, it was in a couple of different spots. We had to go here and here to get it. All the gear will be put right behind the firetrucks now,” stated Fire Chief Aileo.

“It’s huge. You can actually stand on the back of the trucks, you know, redo the hose here, whatever you need to do, you can wash them inside,” continued Gonsauls.

Nearly $500,000 came from grants, but the rest is all up to Meredith Hose Company.

“Everything is 100% volunteer here. You know, it all fundraising that’s where we get our money from the community is helping us big time, with the support they give us, our envelop drives our fundraisers we have,” says Fire Chief Aileo.

The next fundraiser for Meredith Hose Company is on May 11 and it’s a soppressata contest.

There is still work to be done in the building.

Chief Aileo tells 28/22 News they need to finish installing bathrooms and showers, along with finding the time to move everything out of the old fire hall into this new one and, of course, new volunteers are always welcomed.

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