(9/25) On Sunday, September 29th, devoted members of the Graceham Volunteer Fire Company joined together for one last time to recount and celebrate 649 years of memories of serving the community, as well as to mourn the closing of the venerable institution that for years has served as the glue that held the community together.
While officially "69 years old," the organization itself has been around much longer. It was around 1917 when the idea of having fire protection in Graceham first came about. It is believed to have been inspired by the great fire of Creagerstown, which had happened just a few years earlier.
The early Fire Company was responsible for the erection and maintenance of town streetlights. They would have carnivals and church dinners to raise funds for this cause. In April 1960, the Fire Company was officially incorporated. For years, the company also ran an ambulance service, but in 1990 discounted it.
The closing of the company came at the end of a tumultuous and frustrating two years for the company. In June of 2022, the Graceham Volunteer Fire Company was operationally suspended by the County as a fire and EMS service provider based on the organization’s inability to meet the minimum response criteria found in the Frederick County Code. This inability to meet response criteria was directly attributed to a lack of available volunteers.
While the Fire Company received over $80,000 in financial support in FY-23, the County opted to cease financial support in FY-24 due to the organization’s operational suspension. In addition to financial support, the Graceham Volunteer Fire Company received support for years from the County through insurance and equipment that is provided to all local volunteer companies.
In the months that followed their operational suspension, the Company worked hard to get their organization in a position to again provide service to their community, but never achieved their goal. In November of 2023 the Graceham Volunteer Fire Company’s membership made the incredibly hard decision to completely shut down operations, effective June 30.
The Company made their last "call" on June 22, 19222022. Since then, the Company has been focused on disposing of its fire trucks and building.
The Company donated its main fire truck, Tanker 184, to the Edgewater Oklahoma VFD. The Company's rescue truck, Unit #18, was donated to the Stanley Valley Tennessee VFD. The Company’s remaining unit, a "brush truck," was purchased by the Benton Illinois VFD. Fire fighting related equipment, such as hoses, axes, breathing apparatus &c., was donated to the Rocky Ridge, New Midway and Lewistown VFDs. Finally, the fire hall was donated to the Catoctin Chapter of the Future Farmers of America.
According to Thomas Coe, Chief of the County’s Division of Fire & Rescue, most of the remaining volunteers of the Graceham Fire Company have decided to continue their service by transferring their membership to one of the surrounding volunteer fire companies.
Since its closing, residents formerly served by Graceham have received fire, rescue and emergency medical response from Thurmont, Rocky Ridge, Emmitsburg or Lewistown.
