DECEMBER 2010 - FEATURED DEPARTMENT
SAXIS VOLUNTEER FIRE & RESCUE
STATION 5
Saxis Volunteer Fire & Rescue
The Saxis Volunteer Fire & Rescue was established in 1960, as the Saxis Volunteer Fire Company. Saxis, also referred to as "Saxis Island" is situated on the Chesapeake Bay - Tangier Sound, near the confluence of the Pocomoke River. The town dates to 1664 and is approximately 10 miles west of Lankford Highway (U.S. Route 13).
In 1960, just months after organizing the company took delivery of its first fire engine, a 1960 Ford pumper equipped with a 500 gpm Barton-American front mounted pump, and a 500 gallon tank. This truck is still owned by the department, with hopes to restore it in the future. For almost a decade, the company operated from a single-bay building, that was an abandoned school.
The present fire station, located on Free School Lane is also a former Accomack County school building that served Saxis and the surrounding communities until the time of integration. It was purchased by the Town of Saxis to be used as the firehouse during the late 1960's. The company moved into the building circa 1969-1970. The all-brick station includes four (4) engine bays on the west side of the building, that house the fire apparatus and an additional two (2) bays house the companies ambulances and utility vehicle, which exit from the southside of the building. Features also include restrooms, a newly remodeled kitchen, combination lounge/meeting room and various storage areas. The building also doubles as the "Town Hall" of Saxis; the offices of the mayor and town clerk are located within the building, in the south-wing.
Saxis V.F.R. - Station 5 operates a total of seven (7) pieces of emergency apparatus, including two (2) ALS ambulances, two (2) Engines, one (1) Tanker, one (1) Brush unit, and a support/utility vehicle. In addition to serving the town of Saxis, the station also provides Fire and EMS services to neighboring Sanford, Grotons, Messongo, Makemie Park, and various outlying rural areas. It was during the 1970's that the company first initiated EMS services, beginning with a 1970 Cadillac ambulance.
In 2009, the company responded to 51 fire related incidents and 224 EMS incidents. Currently, membership consists of approximately 17 active volunteer members. In addition, two (2) Accomack County Department of Public Safety (DPS) fire-medics, staff the station Monday - Friday, from 6:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. Saxis' neighboring mutual-aid departments are Stations 4 - Atlantic and Station 20 - Oak Hall Rescue to the east, Station 6 - Bloxom to the southeast, and Station 1 - New Church to the northeast.
We would like to extend our thanks to Saxis President Aubrey Justice, for the information provided to help compile this article, and to Rescue Captain Tonya Beasley, for providing the excellent photographs that appear in the slide show of years gone by.
In 1960, just months after organizing the company took delivery of its first fire engine, a 1960 Ford pumper equipped with a 500 gpm Barton-American front mounted pump, and a 500 gallon tank. This truck is still owned by the department, with hopes to restore it in the future. For almost a decade, the company operated from a single-bay building, that was an abandoned school.
The present fire station, located on Free School Lane is also a former Accomack County school building that served Saxis and the surrounding communities until the time of integration. It was purchased by the Town of Saxis to be used as the firehouse during the late 1960's. The company moved into the building circa 1969-1970. The all-brick station includes four (4) engine bays on the west side of the building, that house the fire apparatus and an additional two (2) bays house the companies ambulances and utility vehicle, which exit from the southside of the building. Features also include restrooms, a newly remodeled kitchen, combination lounge/meeting room and various storage areas. The building also doubles as the "Town Hall" of Saxis; the offices of the mayor and town clerk are located within the building, in the south-wing.
Saxis V.F.R. - Station 5 operates a total of seven (7) pieces of emergency apparatus, including two (2) ALS ambulances, two (2) Engines, one (1) Tanker, one (1) Brush unit, and a support/utility vehicle. In addition to serving the town of Saxis, the station also provides Fire and EMS services to neighboring Sanford, Grotons, Messongo, Makemie Park, and various outlying rural areas. It was during the 1970's that the company first initiated EMS services, beginning with a 1970 Cadillac ambulance.
In 2009, the company responded to 51 fire related incidents and 224 EMS incidents. Currently, membership consists of approximately 17 active volunteer members. In addition, two (2) Accomack County Department of Public Safety (DPS) fire-medics, staff the station Monday - Friday, from 6:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. Saxis' neighboring mutual-aid departments are Stations 4 - Atlantic and Station 20 - Oak Hall Rescue to the east, Station 6 - Bloxom to the southeast, and Station 1 - New Church to the northeast.
We would like to extend our thanks to Saxis President Aubrey Justice, for the information provided to help compile this article, and to Rescue Captain Tonya Beasley, for providing the excellent photographs that appear in the slide show of years gone by.
Contact Information:
Saxis Volunteer Fire & Rescue
8337 Free School Lane
Saxis, Virginia 23427
(757) 854-1545
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Fleet of Apparatus
AMBULANCE 5-2
2005 FORD / AEV
AMBULANCE 5-1
1995 FORD MEDTEC
BRUSH 5
2006 FORD F-350
CROPPER & SONS
225 GALLON WATER TANK / 10 GALLON FOAM TANK
ENGINE 5-6
2001 PIERCE CONTENDER
1250 GPM PUMP / 1000 GALLON WATER TANK
CARRIES EXTRICATION EQUIPMENT
ENGINE 5-3
1984 FORD CABOVER / E-ONE
1000 GPM PUMP / 750 GALLON WATER TANK
(FORMERLY OWNED BY CITY OF HAMPTON, VIRGINIA)
TANKER 5-7
1988 GMC TOPKICK / 4-GUYS
1000 GPM PUMP / 2500 GALLON WATER TANK
UNIT 5-9
1997 GMC
