One of the most significant fires to occur in 1914 was a major conflagration in the City of Salem, Mass. on Thursday, June 25. At 3:10 P.M., twelve blows on the bells and whistle were sounded and Engine 1, the Webb pumper, responded with 20 men. Engine 1 and its crew returned to Wakefield the following morning at 2 A.M.
The Fire Department responded to a total of 44 box alarms and 132 still alarms for a total of 176 alarms in 1914.
On November 19, 1917 the town voted to abolish the Board of Fire Engineers. On May 1, 1918, Chief Engineer William E. Cade was designated as Chief of Department. The remaining two Engineers, Edward S. Jacob and Henry A. Feindel, became First Assistant Chief and Second Assistant Chief, respectively.
In late 1919, the town purchased a second-hand 1918 White Motor Company chassis with a 6-cylinder motor at a cost of $2500. Wakefield firefighters built a body for this chassis that contained 1000 feet of hose, had a 35 gallon chemical tank with 250 feet of hose, and carried a 20 foot extension ladder and a ten foot roof ladder.
This new wagon was put in service in March 1920, and was known as Combination 1. At this time, with the new Combination 1 at the Central Station, the Volunteer Hose 2 on Foster Street was abolished and the 1908 Columbia Motor Hose Wagon was junked. This 1908 Columbia was the first motor-driven apparatus in the Department and through the years proved to be the most difficult to drive, with many minor accidents occurring.
On November 26, 1920, Chief William E. Cade passed away suddenly while still Chief of Department. On December 2, 1920, Frederick D. Graham was appointed Chief of Department. Second Assistant Chief Henry Feindel resigned on December 30, 1920. (The rank of Assistant Chief was abolished after the death of Edward Jacob in 1933.)
In 1921, a new Buick coupe replaced the first fire chief’s car.
In 1922, the town adopted the Commonwealth’s Two-Platoon Act of 1920. The two-platoon schedule became effective February 7, 1923, with the permanent force increased from 8 to 10 men.
On July 30, 1924, a new Seagrave pumping engine was put in service as Engine 1. This 750gpm pumper carried 1200 feet of hose, and had an 80-gallon booster tank with 200 feet of hose. It was purchased at a cost of $12,500 from the Seagrave Co., Columbus, Ohio.
This new pumper replaced the 1912 Webb pumper, which was overhauled, repainted at a cost of $400 by Fire Department personnel, and reassigned to the Greenwood Station. At this time, the 1914 Peerless chemical and hose wagon was removed from service and discarded. Greenwood Hose 3 was re-designated as Engine 2 with this first pumping engine for Greenwood in service.
At the end of 1925, the town purchased a used 1920 Pierce Arrow chassis and the firefighters built a body that carried 1000 feet of hose and had a long bench seat to carry whatever personnel could be picked up while responding to alarms. The addition of this squad wagon placed the 1914 Peerless squad in reserve.
