Saddle Brook Fire Department

Historians do not always agree on the dates in our local history, but quite a few of them write that the township was created in March of 1716. Most of the history of the township is, of course, the history of Saddle River Township, which is one of the oldest townships in Bergen County. Among the towns that were part of the original community were Ridgewood, Ho-Ho-Kus, Franklin, Garfield, East Paterson, and Fair Lawn. Agriculture and dairying predominated the area in the first half of the twentieth century. As time passed, other towns were carved from Saddle River Township until it became the 2.7 square miles it is today.

The Saddle River Township Fire Department was officially established in 1911. A single firehouse on Saddle River Road housed one pumper and eventually a ladder truck. This company would later become two companies, known today as Hook & Ladder Company 1, located in the center of town, and Engine Company 1, located on the north side of town. In 1923 a third company would be formed, Engine Company 2, located on the south side of the township, in the Roseville section. For many years the town was sufficiently protected. In the 1950s, the town began to experience rapid growth. With business and industry settling in the town, came growth in population, and more homes and commercial buildings being built in the township. The fire department would also grow; manpower, equipment and larger firehouses.

In November 1955, the residents voted to change the name of the town to Saddle Brook. Today Saddle Brook is home to three major hotels, high rise office buildings, shopping malls, manufacturing plants, commercial parks and still maintains beautiful tree lined residential streets. Three major arteries, Route #46, the Garden State Parkway and Interstate 80, intersect through our small town.

Through the years the fire department had also expanded along with Saddle Brook's growth. From the original two fire trucks, the department has grown as indicated below.

Engine Co. 1, Cambridge Avenue (Northside), houses Engine 1, Rescue 1, Squad 5, and Marine 1.
Engine Co. 2, Third Street (Southside), houses Engine 2, Engine 4, Marine 2*.
Hook & Ladder Co. 1, Market Street (Central), houses, Snorkel 1, Engine 3, Marine 3*.

* Marine 1 has been located at Company 1 for years due to the lake in the Bergen County Park. Marine 2 & 3 were added to the other companies following the aftermath of Hurricane Floyd in 1999. Flooding in the township was so severe that with mutual aid assistance, 5 rescue boats were dispatched to Saddle Brook for rescue operations. V.F.W. Post 3484 gratefully donated the two boats and motors.

* In 2008 the Saddle Brook Fire Department was the recipient of an $81,000+ Grant from F.E.M.A. with which the following equipment could be purchased: 45 new pagers, 2 gas chain saws, 18 SCBA air cylinders, 45 personal SCBA masks, 3 Gas-CO Detector Meters and 2 Thermal Imaging Cameras.