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| HISTORICAL FACTS AND EVENTS |
In early 1967 some active volunteer Firefighters with the Washington County Volunteer
Fire Department No. 1 along with several community members realized that there was a
need in our community for an organized Fire Department. Most of these early
discussions took place at Ray Ball's Trading Post located at Burson's Corner, (now the
Country Corner Market), on Benhams Road.
Property for the Main Station was deeded to the then named Washington County
Volunteer Fire Department No. 2 on March 27, 1967, and the Calvary Bible Church
donated a Right-of-Way.
When preparing to apply for the Certificate of Incorporation with the Virginia State
Corporation Commission it was decided then to change the name of the new Fire
Department in order to better describe the area of Washington County Virginia it would
serve. Since the new Fire Department would be serving the Goodson Magisterial District
and the Kinderhook Magisterial District of Washington County Virginia, it was decided to
name the Fire Department the Goodson-Kinderhook Volunteer Fire Department.
The Certificate of Incorporation was approved and granted, recognizing the
Goodson-Kinderhook Volunteer Fire Department as an Incorporated Organization on
May 29, 1967. The initial Board of Directors of the Goodson-Kinderhook Volunteer Fire
Department was, Attorney David D. Brown, Herbert Hensley, Elgin Tester, Ray Ball, and
Fredric P. Wagner.
The Main Station was built with funding from the Washington County Board of
Supervisors and community donations and consisted basically of a two-bay block building
costing $7,000.00. The Department was also able with support from the Washington
County Board of Supervisors and community donations (mainly received from a jar
placed at Ray Ball's Trading Post), to purchase a used 1948 Ford Fire Engine for
$2,950.00. Until the Main Station Building was completed in the Fall of 1967, the Fire
Department was headquartered at Ray Ball's Trading Post and the 1948 Ford Fire
Engine was housed at Herb Hensley's Garage.
Originally the Goodson-Kinderhook Volunteer Fire Department and the Washington
County Volunteer Fire Department No. 1, mutually responded to any type of call in
southern and western Washington County Virginia, and that close working relationship
between these two Fire Departments continues to this day. Several established Fire
Departments in Washington County Virginia donated some needed equipment and tools
to assist the new Fire Department.
Required Duty Shifts was implemented in January 1970 requiring the volunteers to spend
one night a month at the Fire Station.
Approval to purchase the Fire Department's first new Fire Engine was received in June
1970, and a 1970 GMC Oren Fire Engine was purchased.
With redistricting in Washington County and the decision to rename the seven
Magisterial Districts after the seven Virginia born United States Presidents, the
Goodson-Kinderhook name became a very unique name for the Fire Department. With
the closure of the Goodson-Kinderhook Water Works when it was incorporated into the
Washington County Service Authority, the Goodson-Kinderhook Volunteer Fire
Department became the last remaining County entity or organization retaining the names
of the two former Magisterial Districts.
Automatic Mutual Response on any type of call with the Washington County Volunteer
Fire Department No. 1 was restricted to only Structure Fires in March 1971.
The first major addition to the Main Station consisting of an upstairs containing a meeting
room was began in May 1971.
Discussions on organizing volunteers in the Mendota community for a second
Goodson-Kinderhook Fire Station began in October 1971, and the second Fire Station
was in operation in the Spring of 1972 with the original 1948 Ford Pumper housed at that
Fire Station.
The third major addition to the Main Station began in 1972. This consisted of a third bay
and two rooms upstairs.
Purchase of second new Fire Engine occurred in 1977 with the purchase of a 1977 Ford
Oren Fire Engine.
The Junior Volunteer Fire Department was disbanded in March 1981.
In 1983 the first Revision of the Goodson-Kinderhook Volunteer Fire Department's
Constitution and By-Laws was completed.
Purchase of third new Fire Engine occurred in July 1985 with the purchase of a 1985
Ford Grumman Fire Engine.
Purchase of a new Tanker Truck occurred in December 1989, with the purchase of a
1989 Ford Tanker.
The Goodson-Kinderhook Volunteer Fire Department became certified as an EMS First
Response Agency in 1994, responding mutually with the Bristol Life Saving Crew to
Emergency Medical Calls to provide Emergency Medical Care.
In August 1994 the Goodson-Kinderhook Volunteer Fire Department purchased
additional adjacent property for the purpose of future expansion.
In 1995 the Goodson-Kinderhook Volunteer Fire Department began creating and
implementing its Standard Operating Procedures.
Purchase of fourth new Fire Engine occurred in May 1995, with the purchase of a 1995
Spartan Quality Fire Engine.
The Goodson-Kinderhook Volunteer Fire Department began EMS Transport Services in
1997 as a joint venture with the Bristol Life Saving Crew by housing a Bristol Life Saving
Crew Ambulance at its Main Station.
The Goodson-Kinderhook Volunteer Fire Department began EMS Transport Services
independently in 1998 with the arrival of their first new Ambulance.
In 2001 the second Revision of the Goodson-Kinderhook Volunteer Fire Department's
Constitution and By-Laws was completed.
In August 2001 the Goodson-Kinderhook Volunteer Fire Department purchased
additional adjacent property for the purpose of future expansion.
The fourth major addition/expansion of the Main Station began in September 2001. This
Expansion Project effectively doubled the size of the Main Station and included,
enlargement of the bays and Meeting Room, sleeping quarters, bathrooms and office
facilities.
The hiring of the Fire Department's first Paid Firefighter/EMT occurred September 2001.
Monthly Required Duty Shifts of the volunteers were increased to two per month in March
2003.
The Goodson-Kinderhook Volunteer Fire Department became the first emergency
services Agency in Washington County Virginia to be awarded the Federal Assistance to
Firefighters Grant, through the Federal Emergency Management Agency in September
2003.
Purchase of a fifth new Fire Engine was in January 2004, with the purchase of a 2004
Spartan Crimson Fire Engine.
The hiring of the Fire Department's second paid Firefighter/EMT occurred September
2004.
The Goodson-Kinderhook Volunteer Fire Department began billing for Emergency
Medical Transport Services in October 2004.
The hiring of the Fire Department's third and fourth paid Firefighter/EMT's occurred
August 2005. This allowed the Department to have a paid Firefighter/EMT on duty at the
Station seven days a week, twenty-four hours a day.
Fire Department No. 1 along with several community members realized that there was a
need in our community for an organized Fire Department. Most of these early
discussions took place at Ray Ball's Trading Post located at Burson's Corner, (now the
Country Corner Market), on Benhams Road.
Property for the Main Station was deeded to the then named Washington County
Volunteer Fire Department No. 2 on March 27, 1967, and the Calvary Bible Church
donated a Right-of-Way.
When preparing to apply for the Certificate of Incorporation with the Virginia State
Corporation Commission it was decided then to change the name of the new Fire
Department in order to better describe the area of Washington County Virginia it would
serve. Since the new Fire Department would be serving the Goodson Magisterial District
and the Kinderhook Magisterial District of Washington County Virginia, it was decided to
name the Fire Department the Goodson-Kinderhook Volunteer Fire Department.
The Certificate of Incorporation was approved and granted, recognizing the
Goodson-Kinderhook Volunteer Fire Department as an Incorporated Organization on
May 29, 1967. The initial Board of Directors of the Goodson-Kinderhook Volunteer Fire
Department was, Attorney David D. Brown, Herbert Hensley, Elgin Tester, Ray Ball, and
Fredric P. Wagner.
The Main Station was built with funding from the Washington County Board of
Supervisors and community donations and consisted basically of a two-bay block building
costing $7,000.00. The Department was also able with support from the Washington
County Board of Supervisors and community donations (mainly received from a jar
placed at Ray Ball's Trading Post), to purchase a used 1948 Ford Fire Engine for
$2,950.00. Until the Main Station Building was completed in the Fall of 1967, the Fire
Department was headquartered at Ray Ball's Trading Post and the 1948 Ford Fire
Engine was housed at Herb Hensley's Garage.
Originally the Goodson-Kinderhook Volunteer Fire Department and the Washington
County Volunteer Fire Department No. 1, mutually responded to any type of call in
southern and western Washington County Virginia, and that close working relationship
between these two Fire Departments continues to this day. Several established Fire
Departments in Washington County Virginia donated some needed equipment and tools
to assist the new Fire Department.
Required Duty Shifts was implemented in January 1970 requiring the volunteers to spend
one night a month at the Fire Station.
Approval to purchase the Fire Department's first new Fire Engine was received in June
1970, and a 1970 GMC Oren Fire Engine was purchased.
With redistricting in Washington County and the decision to rename the seven
Magisterial Districts after the seven Virginia born United States Presidents, the
Goodson-Kinderhook name became a very unique name for the Fire Department. With
the closure of the Goodson-Kinderhook Water Works when it was incorporated into the
Washington County Service Authority, the Goodson-Kinderhook Volunteer Fire
Department became the last remaining County entity or organization retaining the names
of the two former Magisterial Districts.
Automatic Mutual Response on any type of call with the Washington County Volunteer
Fire Department No. 1 was restricted to only Structure Fires in March 1971.
The first major addition to the Main Station consisting of an upstairs containing a meeting
room was began in May 1971.
Discussions on organizing volunteers in the Mendota community for a second
Goodson-Kinderhook Fire Station began in October 1971, and the second Fire Station
was in operation in the Spring of 1972 with the original 1948 Ford Pumper housed at that
Fire Station.
The third major addition to the Main Station began in 1972. This consisted of a third bay
and two rooms upstairs.
Purchase of second new Fire Engine occurred in 1977 with the purchase of a 1977 Ford
Oren Fire Engine.
The Junior Volunteer Fire Department was disbanded in March 1981.
In 1983 the first Revision of the Goodson-Kinderhook Volunteer Fire Department's
Constitution and By-Laws was completed.
Purchase of third new Fire Engine occurred in July 1985 with the purchase of a 1985
Ford Grumman Fire Engine.
Purchase of a new Tanker Truck occurred in December 1989, with the purchase of a
1989 Ford Tanker.
The Goodson-Kinderhook Volunteer Fire Department became certified as an EMS First
Response Agency in 1994, responding mutually with the Bristol Life Saving Crew to
Emergency Medical Calls to provide Emergency Medical Care.
In August 1994 the Goodson-Kinderhook Volunteer Fire Department purchased
additional adjacent property for the purpose of future expansion.
In 1995 the Goodson-Kinderhook Volunteer Fire Department began creating and
implementing its Standard Operating Procedures.
Purchase of fourth new Fire Engine occurred in May 1995, with the purchase of a 1995
Spartan Quality Fire Engine.
The Goodson-Kinderhook Volunteer Fire Department began EMS Transport Services in
1997 as a joint venture with the Bristol Life Saving Crew by housing a Bristol Life Saving
Crew Ambulance at its Main Station.
The Goodson-Kinderhook Volunteer Fire Department began EMS Transport Services
independently in 1998 with the arrival of their first new Ambulance.
In 2001 the second Revision of the Goodson-Kinderhook Volunteer Fire Department's
Constitution and By-Laws was completed.
In August 2001 the Goodson-Kinderhook Volunteer Fire Department purchased
additional adjacent property for the purpose of future expansion.
The fourth major addition/expansion of the Main Station began in September 2001. This
Expansion Project effectively doubled the size of the Main Station and included,
enlargement of the bays and Meeting Room, sleeping quarters, bathrooms and office
facilities.
The hiring of the Fire Department's first Paid Firefighter/EMT occurred September 2001.
Monthly Required Duty Shifts of the volunteers were increased to two per month in March
2003.
The Goodson-Kinderhook Volunteer Fire Department became the first emergency
services Agency in Washington County Virginia to be awarded the Federal Assistance to
Firefighters Grant, through the Federal Emergency Management Agency in September
2003.
Purchase of a fifth new Fire Engine was in January 2004, with the purchase of a 2004
Spartan Crimson Fire Engine.
The hiring of the Fire Department's second paid Firefighter/EMT occurred September
2004.
The Goodson-Kinderhook Volunteer Fire Department began billing for Emergency
Medical Transport Services in October 2004.
The hiring of the Fire Department's third and fourth paid Firefighter/EMT's occurred
August 2005. This allowed the Department to have a paid Firefighter/EMT on duty at the
Station seven days a week, twenty-four hours a day.
| GOODSON-KINDERHOOK VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT CHIEFS RAY BALL (1967-1971) HERB HENSLEY (1972-1973, 1981-1982) KNOX FLEENOR (1974) JIM CUNNINGHAM (1975) BOBBY GOBBLE (1977-1980) DAVID EATON (1983-1996) RANDY MOORE (1997-1998) MARK MOORE (1998) STEVEN RACHEL (1999- ) GOODSON-KINDERHOOK VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT PRESIDENTS ELGIN TESTER (1967-1982) DEAN HARRISON (1983-1990) STEVEN RACHEL (1991-1996) KENNY BREWER (1996-1998) RALPH DEAN (1999-2000) J.D. BAKER (2001-2005) SCOTTY SPROLES (2005-2006) MICHAEL HARDIN (2006- ) |
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