Belleville fire department gets historic artifacts
An antique fire hose, steamer, lamp and shoehorn (to help firefighters get their big boots off) are among the artifacts that were displayed at the Station 1 firehall of the Belleville fire department Tuesday. The artifacts are a gift from the Emerson and Vance (Russett) families to the department, where they will eventually be permanently displayed. Photo by Tahreem Fatima, QNet News
BELLEVILLE – The Belleville fire department displayed artifacts from almost 150 years back at an open house Tuesday event.
The artifacts have been donated to the department from the Vance (Russett) and Emerson families.
The unveiling event was held Tuesday evening at Fire Station 1 on Bettes Street and was attended by Mayor Mitch Panciuk, fire chief Mark MacDonald, members of the Vance (Russett) and Emerson families and retirees from the department. The artifacts included fire hoses, leather helmets, a shoehorn, belts and more. All of them came from the families of former fire-department personnel.
Jeff Russett handed a Moira Hose Company leather fire helmet from 1859 to MacDonald. Russett is the grandson and great-grandson of the late former fire chief Gerald Vance and ex-fire captain Allen Vance respectively.
Jess Russett (right) hands an 1859 leather firefighter’s helmet to fire chief Mark MacDonald. Photo by Tahreem Fatima, QNet News
“I think it needs a home, and I would like to donate it to Mark, the fire department and Glanmore House,” Russett said. The artifacts are to go to Glanmore, a national historic site, for cataloguing and preservation before being permanently displayed at the firehall.
Speaking about his grandfather and great-grandfather, he said that Allen Vance would not have even attended Tuesday’s ceremony because of his shy nature, but Gerald Vance would have had a parade.
“Everything in my grandfather’s basement was treasure,” Russett said.
It was hard to part with the leather helmet and other items, he said, adding that he remembers playing with it with his cousins in his grandfather’s basement when he was a kid.
Joanne Emerson, daughter of deputy fire chief Robert Emerson, donated the 1881 helmet of assistant fire chief James Cummins. The station already has ceremonial helmets on display, and the leather working helmets will complete the set.
MacDonald said he’s happy the artifacts are back with the department.
“It’s so important to us that we have them properly displayed to pay tribute to the people who worked here in the past,” he said.
The department hopes to expand the historical displays at the fire station because there is so much of it and it’s important that people be able to see and enjoy the artifacts.
MacDonald presented plaques to the donor families, but the plaques will remain with the display to visitors will know where the artifacts came from.
The firehall already had a museum section where people were able to see artifacts from 1900 to the 1960s. When the pieces from the 1850s and before are added, it will be a rich experience, fire prevention officer Carson Cross told QNet News.
“History is not only about reading the books; it’s also about understanding how things were. And seeing these artifacts, I think people will (understand),” he said.
Mayor Mitch Panciuk said the artifacts “take us back to a different time.” Photo by Tahreem Fatima, QNet News
Panciuk said that Belleville fire department has a strong foundation.
“Artifacts we are looking today take us back to a different time,” he said.
Firefighting was a lot less complicated in those days, Pancuik said. The firefighters didn’t have the technology and the training they have access to now, he added.
“When you look back at the time, you understand how far we have come as a community. It’s because of the men who were part of the Belleville fire service in those years. We owe a great deal of gratitude to them and their families.”
Glanmore curator Rona Rustige called the firefighting artifacts a big part of Belleville’s history.
Rona Rustige, curator of Glanmore National Historic Site, displayed artifacts donated to the fire department by the Vance (Russett) and Emerson families. Photo by Tahreem Fatima, QNet News
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