About the Midway
Fire Department
According to the Midway Fire Department, “The first emergence of a fire department in the
area presently known as "Midway" was around 1920. Clarence Hale, William Hill and Jacob Oliver were appointed directory
of the Maywood Fire Department until the first annual meeting. From this point in time until the 30's very little information
exists.
It was Maywood Fire Department's
responsibility, per their Incorporation papers to extinguish fire and protect property between the "Village of Colonie"
and the Schenectady County line. This would be accomplished with a two-wheeled chemical cart that was moved about by man or
beast. (This cart was supposedly destroyed for its copper value during the war years).
The late 30s brings about the emergence of a group meeting
at the Maywood School wanting to form the Maywood Fire Department. But having one already existing on paper, they were denied
use of the name and formed the Midway Fire Department Inc. with its principal office on Massachusetts Avenue.
This location was to be our home until the
early 50s when we constructed our present concrete block building at 1956 Central Avenue.”
