Prior to the formal organization of the fire department, the Village of Oriskany Falls relied on it's citizens to all come to the aid of each other when there was a fire in the village. This cry for help would result in all able hands to form an unorganized bucket brigade with the hopes of stopping the fire. In turth if they kept the fire contained to the building of origin it was a job well done. In most occasions this did not happen and the fire spread to adjacent buildings. Because of the terrible outcome of most fires, a fire department was established on November 28, 1871 with the name of Oriskany Falls Engine Co. No. 1 with 33 members. The company later was chartered by the state in 1873 and was elected a member of the Fire Association of New York in 1874.
The first elected Forman, who spearheaded the formation of the department, was a well respected member of the community by the name of James A. Douglass. Mr. Douglass was an established businessman in the commuinty who gave his time to lead the membership in their firefighting duties. He also lend financial support from time to time to keep the department progressing in the direction that it needed to go. In support, his name was bestowed upon the department and it became the Douglass Hose Co., the only member to have this honor in the department's 137 year history.
The first firehouse was located on the south side of Main Street just up from where the US Post Office is located today. the house was donated by Mr. Douglass, where on the second floor the department held company meetings. the first floor held the company equipment and a Hand Pumper that was manufactured by Bowing & Co. of Seneca Falls, NY with a patent date of 1866. the basement, with bars on the windows, served as the village "lockup".
Along with firefighting duties of the fireman, notes of the social side of the company have been taken from clippings and private diaries. Each January the annual meeting was held, with the election of officers, often followed by a dinner with a toastmaster and speaker. These nights of celebration were held in the Cross Opera House, Owen's Hall, Hennessey Hotel, and later in O'Neils' Hotel or the dining rooms above the McLaughlin Theater. Usually these meetings ended with a dance watched, from the sidelines, by the townspeople. One report on such a dinner noted that "On January 12,1909 the annual banquet was held at the Cross Opera House, beautifully decoraqted with 200 places set. Music was furnished by the Citizens band with serveral selections sung by a male quartet. During the evening program original members, who helped organize the company nearly 40 years ago, responded to a roll call. The minutes of the first annual meeting were read along with the names of the officers".
Each summer there was a fireman's outing usually a picnic at a park like Chittenango Falls or Madison lake. One report of such an event said in 1908 "A Beautiful day, over two-thirds of the citizens took a day of recreation so every car of the train was filled". Other reports state "In July of 1913, the fireman sponsored a parade followed by a field day of sports and games" and " In 1915 on July 2nd and 3rd the Fire Department hosted the Oneida County Fireman's Convention, on this day as part of the activity the 3rd annual hill climb of the Utica automobile Association was held. A great day for the village."
For many years the fire department's apparatus consisited of the original hose cart and hand pumper. In that era, water was used from the Oriskany Creek pumped from Hamlin's Mill as far as the hoses would reach. At first this was a 600 foot distance, then an additional 700 feet was added to the fire department. The village hydrant system was first used to fight a fire on December 4, 1911 at the Ed Hamlin farm. Although the horse barn did burndown, all the other buildings were saved.
On August 17, 1923 the new chemical fire truck arrived, just in time to be displayed before a large crowd at the fireman's field day. On September 1st, that same year, a demonstration was