History

On a cold, snowy day in November of 1903, a small contingent of ten devoted and dedicated men discussed a plan to protect their community. Their idea, a Doyle Fire District, was put into finalization on December 7,1903 when Justice Leahy and Justice Forster introduced a resolution to grant the taxpayers of Doyle the right to establish a hydrant and fire district in their area of town. With the passing of the resolution in the summer of 1904, a meeting of the resident taxpayers of Doyle Fire District was held on October 13,1904, for the purpose of electing three fire commissioners and a treasurer for the fire district. The meeting, held in an election booth on William Street near Harlem Road, saw eighteen taxpayers cast their ballots, electing JOHN N. ROHR, J.P. SHERRARD, and JAMES DEVINE as the first fire commissioners of the Doyle Fire District. GOTTLIEB KOCH was elected district treasurer, with J.P. SHERRARD being appointed the first president. The first chief elected by the taxpayers of the Doyle Fire District was ANDREW NAPIERALSKI, a position he would devote the next 25 years of his life to.

On November 2,1904, with fire members John Rohr, Andrew Napieralski, Albert Pratt, Anthony Piekarski and Peter Inda present, along with nine resident taxpayers, a meeting of the taxable inhabitants of the Doyle Fire District was held at the School District #6 school house. The main item on the agenda was the appropriation of $1,235, to be spread over the taxable property of Doyle Fire District. A resolution was also presented to raise an additional $1000 through bonding, with repayment to be in two annual installments of $500. With a unanimous vote by the members in attendance approving the appropriations, the Doyle Fire District was a reality. For the next seven years, the members were devoted to the Doyle community, establishing their quarters in the living rooms of the members’ households. EDWARD JEREZEWSKI was a newly recruited member in the early years and the need for a firehouse was next on the minds of these dedicated individuals. On March 4,1911, at the residence of Chief Andrew Napieralski, on the corner of William and Alaska, a 7:30PM meeting was held to vote upon the erection of a firehouse, at a district cost not to exceed $3000. Seventeen taxpayer residents attended this critical meeting and appropriated the above amount. It was further determined that the $3000 would be raised in six installments of $500 each and authorized the commissioners to bond the district in the amount of $3000.

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