The Clintondale Fire Department will mark its 100th anniversary this year with a parade, community celebration and the presentation of three new Historic Centennial Awards honoring individuals who have played significant roles in the department’s history.

The department was formed Oct. 5, 1926, as the Hull and Sutton Memorial Fire Company, named in honor of Hallock Sutton and John Hull. In December of that year, the organization changed its name to Allied Communities Fire Company No. 1. The department has since been known as both the Clintondale Fire Department and Allied Communities Fire Company No. 1.

The department’s first fire chief was Grover Conklin, who served from 1926 to 1929. Its first president was John Gloeckler, who served from 1926 to 1927.
The department’s beginnings were modest. Its first firehouse was an old garage rented for $35 a year. The building housed the department’s first fire truck, a Stewart chassis equipped with Buffalo Fire Equipment.

The department eventually outgrew its original quarters. In 1965, a new brick firehouse was constructed behind the old building at 1063 Route 44-55. The station included four bays, a meeting room, kitchen and office.

The department’s community presence expanded along with its emergency operations. In 1968, the Clintondale Fire Department Auxiliary was formed after about 50 women responded to a call to establish the organization. Over the years, auxiliary members have provided food and beverages for firefighters responding to emergencies and supported the department’s activities.

In 1983, department volunteers built a large pavilion behind the firehouse for company and community use. Nearly two decades later, residents approved additional improvements to the station. Two bays were added in 2001 to accommodate a new rescue vehicle and other emergency equipment.

The department serves the town of Plattekill and has maintained a network of mutual-aid relationships with neighboring fire departments. During its 90th anniversary celebration in 2016, the department recognized mutual-aid agencies including Modena, Plattekill, New Paltz, Highland, Milton, Marlboro, Wallkill, Gardiner and Esopus.

Now, a century after its founding, the all-volunteer department continues to respond to fires, emergency medical calls, motor vehicle crashes and brush fires.

The centennial celebration Oct. 3 will begin with a parade. Fire departments participating in the parade are scheduled to line up at 11 a.m. on Bedell Avenue, entering from Hull Avenue. The parade will step off at noon and travel along Route 44-55, Cliff Avenue, Crescent Avenue and Maple Avenue.

The department will present its first Historic Centennial Awards following the parade.

James “Jimmy” Wilklow will receive the Years & Dedication Award for more than 60 years of continuous service, including his time as a longtime fire commissioner.

Carol Ann Stauss will receive the Historic Service Award. The department is recognizing Stauss for becoming the first female firefighter in Ulster County when she joined the department in 1979.

Steve and Shelley Turk will receive the Community Support Award for their longstanding support of the department.

The awards are intended to become an annual tradition, allowing the department to formally recognize exceptional service and contributions in future years.

“As fire chief, it is an incredible honor to be part of the Clintondale Fire Department, as we celebrate our 100th anniversary,” Chief Gary Palmateer said. “This milestone belongs to every man and woman who has worn our uniform, answered the alarm, trained beside one another, and dedicated themselves to protecting the Hudson Valley community.”

Food, fellowship and live music by Way Behind the Sun will follow the parade behind the firehouse.

The centennial celebration represents a milestone not only for the department but for the generations of volunteers who have maintained it since that first garage and $35-a-year lease in 1926.