The Eggertsville Hose Company, the oldest fire company in Amherst, N.Y., celebrates its 100th anniversary. After the existing bucket brigade encountered difficulties combating two serious fires in 1906, the town met to discuss starting a fire company. In 13 minutes, the few residents at the meeting raised the then-vast sum of $113.13, and the Eggertsville Hose Company was on its way.

On May 8, 1908, the dream became reality and the company began operation. The company's first fire chief and president also served as town peace justice and president of the District 13 school board. The first apparatus was a horse-drawn spring wagon that could carry firefighting equipment. The next acquisitions — two 6-foot reels carrying 1,000 feet of 2 ¹/₂-inch hose — were stationed at opposite ends of the town. The original alarm notification system consisted of an iron railroad rim struck by a hammer next to the fire station.

Twenty-four years after the station was inaugurated, a new fire hall was dedicated on May 8, 1932 at the same location. That year also saw the installation of the Gamewell coded telgraph alarm system to replace the railroad rim. The Gamewell system remained in service until 1981. The company also initiated first aid work and was the first local fire department to maintain an American Red Cross highway station. In those days, the rescue squad responded to calls over a wide territory and helped other area fire departments.

A second station serving the north end of the district was established in 1966. The final move came in 1995, when the Hose Company and Fire District moved into a one-story, 20,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art fire station. This new station consolidated stations one and two, returning them to the town tax rolls, while also improving response time to emergencies with a central district location.

Today, Eggertsville Hose Company boasts three 1,500-gpm Pierce pumpers, one 100-foot Pierce aerial truck with an articulating arm, one Ford F350 Horton light rescue, one Ford Expedition light rescue, one Pierce heavy rescue, one Ford F250 utility vehicle and three Chevrolet Yukon chief vehicles — a long way from two reels and a horse-drawn cart.