First KFC #1 Officers
President - William Schwalm
Vice President - Carolos Koppenhaver
Secretary - Austin (Harry) Davis
Treasurer - Richard Leitzel
Fire Chief - Raymond Reed
Assistant Fire Chief - Paul D. Leitzel
Trustees - Charles Laudenslager, Harry B. Troutman & Marlin Baum
Due to the fire company having no funds, Raymond Reed purchased a 1926 Hahn truck from the Pillow Fire Company. On July 21, 1949, the Klingerstown Fire Company #1 paid Raymond Reed $260.00 for the truck. This truck, already equipped with a 75 gallon tank, had another 75 gallon tank set on to make it hold 150 gallons. 800 feet of hose was purchased over the next two years and placed on the truck.
On September 29, 1949, a triangle piece of ground near the church was purchased from Esto Klinger for $150.00. On this piece of land was built the first Klingerstown Fire House, which was 15 feet wide and 30 feet long.
The first meeting was held in the fire house on May 3rd, 1951. The first siren was put on top of Ray Knorr's Garage in October 1949. A 5-mile siren was placed at the fire house in September 1950. This siren and remote control box, which was placed at Ray Knorr's Garage, cost the Fire Company $625.00.
In the year 1952, a Ford chassis was purchased from Klingerstown Motors and sent to Hahn in Hamburg where a firefighting body was put on. It was a 500 GPM front-mounted pump with a 500 gallon capacity tank and a hose bed for about 2,000 feet of hose. Both sides of the truck had compartments for storing equipment.
A third truck was purchased in 1953 from Hahn in Hamburg. This truck was an 8-cylinder GMC diesel with a 750 GPM midship pump, a 750 gallon capacity tank, hose bed for about 2,000 feet of hose, and storage compartments for storing equipment.
The first picnic was held in the Himmels Church Grove on June 23rd, 1949. net profit from the picnic was $321.66. The first carnival was held June 28-30, 1950, in an oats field between the barn at the rear of the Klingerstown Hotel and the Mahantango Creek. The present carnival grounds of approximately 14 acres was bought from William Wiest on January 8th, 1951 for $2,500.00.
The second Fireman's Carnival was held on the grounds on June 26-19, 1951. The carnival has been held on these grounds every year since. Over the years, a cake stand, stage, bingo pavillion, 2 picnic pavillions, playground equipmet, and a baseball diamondhave been added. On Novmber 12th, 1960, president of the Fire Company, Earl G. Troutman, purchased the two room Klingerstown schoolhouse for the sum of $85.00 at public sale.
