Organized in 1775 Darby Fire Company #1 is the oldest VOLUNTEER Fire Company in Delaware County, 2nd oldest in the State of Pennsylvania and 5th oldest in the Country.
In December of 1774 a fire occurred in a farm house, which took the lives of 2 children, the loss sent a shock wave thru the small village of Darby and several male residents of the village organized "The Darby Fire Company" on the 27th day of January, 1775.
These early firemen fought fires using leather water buckets, ladders and hooks until the company purchased its first fire engine in 1833 for $225, 00. It was a used hand engine of the rotary vane style pump which was filled with buckets of water and operated by six men.
The engine was nicknamed "The Darby Ram" as the ram was the mascot of the woolen mills in Darby and the surrounding area. The ram was well known throughout the County as the first fire engine in Delaware County and was kept in a shed near the Blue Bell Inn.
A hose cart was purchased in 1834 and a permanent engine house was built on 9th Street across from the old borough hall for a price of $106.00. The engine and hose cart were moved from the Blue Bell property to its new engine house.
In 1877 the company purchased a used horse/hand drawn engine from" The Shiffler Hose Company" for $400.00, it was a Philadelphia style engine, double deck, which could be operated by 10-12 men, both engines are still owned by the company today.
In March of 1903 the fire company was incorporated as "The Darby Fire Company # 1"
In December of 1911 property at Chester Turnpike and Quarry St. was purchased for $2500.00 and a new fire house was built for $8000.00 and Dedicated in December of 1912, with motorized fire engines and an ambulance.
A new addition was built on Quarry St. in 1960 and in 2014 another addition and renovation of the existing firehouse was completed with plenty of room to house our modern pumpers and ambulances.
Today we provide the best firefighting techniques and equipment with over 40 active members and we provide Emergency Medical Services to Darby, Colwyn, and Sharon Hill Boroughs staffed by Paramedics and EMT’s from Mercy Fitzgerald Hospital.
As we celebrate our 241st year, we eagerly look to the future.
