HUDSON FIRE DEPARTMENT
History
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The Hudson Fire Department was formed in October of 1948 after three local citizens converted a former Canadian war surplus army truck into a pumper truck. It had been previously used as a snow plow in the Village of Hudson Heights and continued with that dual role for a short time after 1948.
The first firefighters were Police/Fire Chief Lorne "Paddy" Dufresne, Clarence and George Hodgson and Sidney Seguin. It was these latter three men who had converted the truck in their "White Rose" Garage. The fire truck was owned by the Village of Hudson Heights, but the fire hall was in the Village of Hudson! (On July Ist, 1969 the three Villages of Como, Hudson and Hudson Heights amalgamated to form the Town of Hudson).
A former Chief Mechanic of the Montreal Fire Department and local resident of Como, Aristide Seguin offered his services in early 1950. He was immediately hired on as the Police and Fire Chief for Hudson. Chief Dufresne continued on for a while as the Police Chief in Hudson Heights and Come also had a part time Police Chief.
In 1951 many local citizens, Veterans of World War II and members of the Hudson Legion Branch #115 volunteered their services as firefighters. Their dedication and long service formed the backbone of the young Fire Department.
The 1944 Army truck, known in later years as "Betsey", was not a very reliable pumper and lacked modern equipment. After a series of diastrous fires in the mid-1950's, the Joint Fire Committee of the three Villages decided to purchase a new pumper truck in late 1956. In early January 1957, a Mercury/Thibault 625 gpm pumper with a 500 gallon water tank arrived in Hudson.
It is this truck that was just taken out of service during the week of October 20th-26th as a 1997 Ford/Superior 1050 gpm pumper truck with a 1,000 gallon water tank arrived to replace the old Engine 1.
"Betsey" (Engine 3) had been replaced in 1977. Since then a couple of other fire trucks had seen service in Hudson. One was a 1948 American LaFrance while the other was a 1969 Mack/Thibault. Both were sold in the late 1980's.
In 1990 a switch in the colour of the fire trucks came into being with the purchase of Engine 6, a 1989 Ford/Fort Garry 1050 gpm pumper truck with a 700 gallon water tank arrived. It was Hudson's first yellow fire truck.
With the aging of old Rescue 2, a 1974 Chevrolet Step Van and the need for a larger vehicle to carry equipment and manpower, a new Heavy Rescue truck was designed by the members of the Hudson Fire Department and in 1992 Rescue 7 arrived. It is a 1992 Ford/Tibotrac custom Heavy Rescue which has made a name for itself as our First Responder vehicle. Last year it responded to 136 medical emergency calls within Hudson and 72 fire emergency calls as well. It is also yellow in colour with a white top.
Finally in 1995 a decision was made to replace the 1956 pumper, Engine 1. It was outdated and had served a long distinguished career. On October 23rd, 1996 a new 1997 Ford/Surperior pumper arrived at the fire hall. Now in service as Engine 8 it carries a large water tank and is white over yellow.
Some of the more serious fires that have occurrred over the years in Hudson were at The Vieux Hudson Restaurant, The Willow Inn, The Hudson Bowling Alley, The Avalon (Hudson) Hosery Co., Simpson's Snack Bar, The Lussier Fire, Hudson Bakery, The Hudson Heights and Como CPR Stations and many house and large brush fires. Plus Engine 1 was present at the Bourget College and Hotel Canada fires in Rigaud.
