The Blawnox-Glenover Volunteer Fire Company was formed on February 6, 1921, following a fire
at a store on 3rd Street in Hoboken. Mr. Warne Repine, then station master at Parkview
(workhouse stop), and Justice of the Peace, sent an application to Harrisburg for charter of
the department. The charter was granted on March 6, 1922. The first Blawnox Fire Station was
donated by the Blaw-Knox Company and was located on Blaw Avenue across from the Company
Office. This station was equipped with a pot bellied stove, pool table, a few chairs and a
small table used for business. The new fire department was able to purchase old army
raincoats and oil skin hats. Their first dress uniform consisted of white duck trousers,
white shirts, black bow ties and railroad conductor’s hat with a fire badge on it. Due to
the fact the motor in the first truck was not strong enough to pull it up Blaw Avenue with
men riding on it, a rule was made and no fireman, except the driver, were permitted to get
on the truck before it reached Freeport Road. The remaining firemen pushed it up the hill
and then mounted the truck. The first major fire in Blawnox was on Freeport Road at Center
Avenue. It was a store owned and operated by David “Daddy” Lang.
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