Name: Germantown Volunteer Fire Department
Item: Germantown Volunteer Fire Department
Author: Volunteer Recruiter

The Germantown Volunteer Fire Department, Inc. was placed into service on October 1, 1989 after separating from the Hyattstown Volunteer Fire Department, Inc.

Members began the process by creating the Germantown Volunteer Fire Association as the first step towards incorporating. The first meeting of the Association was held on June 22, 1989 and the following personnel were elected as the first Board of Directors, Kevin T. Finnin, Joseph S. Chornock, James R. Barto, Michael P. Dmuchowski, Ruth A. Stark, Rodney Pile, and Chad A. Eastman. Germantown Attorney James Hyatt donated his time to assist with getting the Department incorporated.

On August 20, 1989 an organizational meeting was held. This was the first meeting after the incorporation was approved. At this meeting officers of the newly created fire department were elected.

The first Board of Directors consisted of Kevin T. Finnin, President; James R. Barto, Vice-President; JoAnne M. Finnin, Secretary; David M. Best, Recording Secretary; Jeanne P. Barto, Treasurer; Paul Messner, Raymond L. Hartzell, and Rodney Pile, Members-at-Large, Joseph S. Chornock, Delegate to the Montgomery County Fire Board; Matthew C. Kenworthy, Alternate to the Montgomery County Fire Board. Michael A. May was elected as Fire/Rescue Chief and Michael P. Dmuchowski was elected as Assistant Fire/Rescue Chief. The Chief’s positions would not take effect until October 1, 1989.

The first members of the Germantown Volunteer Fire Department, Inc. included: Richard J. Atwell, John A. Babyak, Jeanne P. Barto, James R. Barto, James Carey Beall, William J. Beard, Douglas Bennett, David M. Best, Andrew L. Bluestein, Francis W. Boegel, Jr., Mark Brodeur, Coleman P. Brown, Joseph S. Chornock, Michael DeCarlo, Michael P. Dmuchowski, Chad A. Eastman, James Ferguson, Kevin T. Finnin, JoAnne M. Finnin, Brian E. Hagberg, Raymond L. Hartzell, Cheryl Hopko, T.J. Irwin, Jr., Frank E. Jacob, Darah Kehnemuyi, Matthew C. Kenworthy, Margie Landlot, David L. Litz, Gregory L. Litz, Frances R. “Becky” May, Michael A. May, Donna McThenia, Charles H. Meiselman, Paul Messner, Roland L. Moore, John Mumma, Troy D. Nolan, Rodney Pile, Barbara A. Proctor, Steven F. Proctor, Barry C. Reid, Barbara A. Reid, Lynn Russell, L. Scott Sadler, Vicki Sampieri, William G. Snow, Ruth A. Stark, Wanda Lee Tolley, Wendy Whisman, and Brian Joseph Withrow.

On August 25, 1989, the Charter members of the Department took up a collection to open the volunteer bank account and from these contributions $835.00 was deposited into the account. On September 12, 1989 the volunteer bank account had a balance of $860.00. On June 1, 1990, we began receiving donations from our first annual fund drive. As of October 1990, we had received over 600 donations totaling over $15,000.00.

About the Station: The station is located at 20001 Crystal Rock Drive, Germantown, MD. The original building was opened on January 7, 1981, as a sub-station to the Hyattstown Volunteer Fire Department, Inc. The building and land is owned by the Montgomery County Government. There was a brush truck, ambulance, and two pumpers. The Station had two drive thru bays and a bunk room with ten beds. In 1988, an addition was started to add an additional bay, enlarged kitchen, and a larger bunkroom with twenty bunks to name a few of the many enhancements.

Today, there are two engines, a heavy rescue squad, two ambulances, one medic unit, a boat, a boat support unit, utility and three support vehicles.

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Germantown Volunteer Fire Department

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