History

For the past 125 years, the dedicated volunteers of the Narberth Fire Company have been protecting the lives and property of the residents of Narberth Borough and Lower Merion Township. In the fall of 1897, the Narberth Fire Company was chartered by a group of citizens concerned that Narberth needed its own fire company following a devastating blaze that had destroyed the Narberth Presbyterian Church in the previous year. From the ashes of that fire, the Narberth Fire Company was formed by a group of men, according to the company charter, "having associated themselves together for the purpose of establishing and maintaining proper and necessary appliances for the extinguishment and control of fire."

Over the course of past 125 years, the Narberth Fire Company has had a storied and rich tradition in its service to the community. In the early years, the apparatus and the horses used to pull it were housed in a stable on Haverford Avenue. In 1889, Elm Hall was constructed in the center of Narberth on Forest Avenue and served as the firehouse for over sixty years. During those sixty years, the company made the transition from horse-drawn apparatus to motorized fire apparatus, acquiring its first piece of motorized apparatus in 1913.

In 1924, the company entered the Lower Merion Fire Department placing the neighborhoods of Wynnewood, Penn Valley and Merion under its protection. During the 1930s and 1940s, the company was aided by the generous support of Dr. Albert Barnes who was not only a benefactor but also served on the Board of Directors. In 1960, the company moved to its current home when the municipal building was constructed at the corner of Conway and Haverford Avenues.

Since 1960 when the Narberth Fire Company moved into its new home, there have been tremendous changes. There has been incredible development to the area that has brought bigger houses, more commercial structures, and an increased population of people who live and work in the area that the company protects. And over that time, the company has kept up with the latest apparatus, equipment, and training to continue to provide the best fire protection services possible.

While the 125 years the Narberth Fire Company has served the community have been marked with change that has brought new advances into the fire company, one thing has remained constant: the tradition and spirit of service within each firefighter. Although the names and faces have changed over the past 110 years as one generation in the fire company begets the next, the dedication and passion within each firefighter remains unchanged. So that as long as neighbors continue to find themselves in need, the dedicated volunteer firefighters of the Narberth Fire Company will continue to answer the call.