Reliance Engine Company #2 is located on the north side of the
Incorporated Village just north of Jericho Turnpike on Holland Avenue.
Reliance Engine Company #2 is located on the north side of the
Incorporated Village just north of Jericho Turnpike on Holland Avenue.
Back in early 1910, the Incorporated Village of Floral Park was slowly but surely expanding. With development of a business area along Jericho Turnpike and construction of homes on the north side, the village fathers saw the need for expansion of the Fire Department as well.
February 10, 1910 Mr. D.W. Syme offered the rear part of his lot on the southeast corner of Hindsdale Avenue and Jericho Turnpike for the placing of a house for a hose reel for the sum of $5 per year. The matter of organizing a new company and its location was discussed and approved by the Board of Fire Commissioners and orders were issued to Chief George A. Hoffman to do so. February 18, 1910 the Heidtmann Bros. were awarded the job of constructing the reelhouse on Hindsdale Avenue for the sum of $81.50. March 18th about 300 feet of new hose was placed on Hose Reel #2 and moved to the new quarters on Hindsdale Avenue. Hose Reel #1, at Fire Headquarters, was the Alert Company.
The new fire company, Hose Co. 3, was organized March 26, 1910 and located on Hindsdale Avenue near Jericho Turnpike. The present site is now occupied by European American Bank.
April 15, 1910 Hose Co. 3 was named Reliance Hose Co. 3 and headed by Foreman George S. McGee and Asst. Foreman Harold Thurston. 1911 saw both Thomas Kollack and Stephen Krug as Foreman and Asst. Foreman go on to be Chiefs of the Floral Park Fire Department in 1913 and 14 and 1917 and 18 respectively.
The Department being efficient and cost conscious then as now, purchased a fire insurance policy on the new hose reel house and its contents on May 12, 1910 for a term if three years at a cost of $3.
1916 found Reliance Hose Co. house in a new brick building on Spooner Street that still stands near Plainfield Avenue. A large ring of steel hung outside the firehouse to be struck with a large hammer to sound an alarm of fire. A bell was mounted on the roof of the firehouse with a rope that reached the ground so that it too could be sounded when necessary.
In 1920 the men of Reliance petitioned Fire Council (Formerly the Board of Commissioners) to change their name from Reliance Hose Co. #3 to Reliance Hose Co. #2. After all, there were only two Hose Companies in town, Alert and Reliance, at that time besides Hook and Ladder Co. #1. As if October 1, 1920 Reliance officially became Hose Co. #2
April 6, 1921 found Reliance with 29 members, ten of which had joined during 1920 giving the Fire Department a total of 88 members.
During 1923 residents of the village approved funds for the purchase of motorized apparatus. On November 6, 1923 the village board unanimously accepted American LaFrance's bid for two pumpers which were officially presented to Fire Council April 1, 1924.
The hose reel Reliance had used was not retired from service but was stationed instead in a barn in the west end to provide better protection for that fast growing section of the village.
Fund raising activities to support the department's function have always been a necessary part of the firefighter's routine. Tag days were held each summer and motorists passing through the village were "sold" a tag to raise funds for the local fire Department. Tournaments and Parades had been held on the first Saturday in August almost since the formation of the Department. Holland Avenue was the scene of the earlier contests until the early thirties when the course was moved to Stewart Avenue. Later Raff Avenue and Floral Parkway were used for running the event.
In 1930 the cornerstone for the Holland Avenue firehouse was in place. The "firehouse" still stands today and is the home of the 1997,
Other apparatus of Reliance included a late 1930's Ward LaFrance 750 g.p.m. pumper, a 1957 American LaFrance 750 g.p.m. pumper and then a 1977 American LaFrance 1500 g.p.m. pumper.
Chaplains are an integral part of any quasi-military organization and Reliance was fortunate and honored to have the Pastors of Christ Evangelical Lutheran Church on Plainfield Avenue and Spooner Street as members. Starting with Rev. Ralph M. Durr; Rev. Lloyd Berg; Rev. Bob Rodriguez and presently Rev. Albert Martin.
The firefighters of Reliance are a unique group of men made up from all walks of life. Generations of fathers, sons, brothers, uncles, nephews, cousins, brothers-in-law, and neighbors comprised the energetic and hardworking company. Many of the fathers, sons, brothers, uncles and nephews served the company as line officers - Lieutenants, Captains, and then went on to serve the Department and Village of Floral Park as Chiefs.
