Edward Louis Gillen - North Merrick Fire Department

My family has a long history with Fire Departments.  Here is just one of those stories...

The IFFD ribbons are linked to colours symbolic of the main elements firefighters work with – red for fire and blue for water. 

International Firefighters Day is being observed today, Monday, May 4, 2020. It is a day in which current and past firefighters can be thanked for their contributions.  So I would like to recognize the service of our one of our family's first firefighters: Edward L. Gillen.



In an earlier post I talked about my Great Grandfather, Edward Gillen and his family's house in North Merrick.  Edward and Caroline Gillen moved to North Merrick from Brooklyn, New York in 1922 with their children Anna (11) and Frank (7).

The Gillen's lived less than 1 mile from the North Merrick Fire Department which is on Camp Ave. Screen shot from google maps 2020.04.12.

During the immediate years after moving to Long Island, my great grandfather become involved with the community.  Among the organizations that he was involved with was the Merrick Fire Department.  The Merrick Fire Department was organized in 1893 as the Merrick Hook and Ladder Company One.  Edward joined the Merrick Fire Department in September, 1923.  Later, the Merrick Fire Department opened up the Hook and Ladder Company Two on Camp Avenue. 

Scan of Edward's badge from the Merrick Fire Department, Hook, Ladder and Engine Company 2.  Original in the personal collection of @Virginia Summers Olsen.

N. Merrick Fire Department Photo downloaded from longislandfiretrucks.com.  Image is of the Merrick Hook, Ladder and Engine Co. 2 on Camp Avenue taken in 1926.  Could Edward be in this picture?

As the North Merrick area was growing, it must have been decided that the area would be better served to have its own volunteer fire department, rather than to continue to operate as the second Hook and Ladder company of the Merrick Fire Department. 

Image downloaded 2015.07.27 from: http://www.longislandfiretrucks.com/north-merrick-fire-department---670/category/memorabilia

The cropped image below is of a letter from the Board of Fire Commissioners, North Merrick District dated 3 Jun 1927 to Capt. Edward Gillen, Merrick Hook, Ladder and Engine Co. No 2, Merrick, NY stating that the officers and fireman listed on May 25, 1927 had been approved and appointed as volunteer firemen in the newly formed N. Merrick Fire District.  

Edward's official application to the newly formed North Merrick Fire Department in 1928.  Scanned copy of the original in the archives of the NMFD.  ©Edward R. Olsen

So in the time span of approximately 6 years (1922-1928), Edward had purchased housing lots from his father, purchased an old WW1 building from Fort AP Hill outside of Petersburg, VA, had it shipped to LI and rebuilt on the lot, moved his family from Brooklyn and settled them into their new home and community, became involved in the Merrick FD, and was involved in the Hook, Ladder and Engine company that formed the new North Merrick FD.  

Merrick Life, December 8, 1966 article documenting the N. Merrick Fire Department's 40th anniversary.

Photo Credit: Mark Barone, longislandfiretrucks.com.

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This blog post is part of my Fire Department Series posts.

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How I'm related to Edward Gillen:

Edward Gillen

         |

Anna Gillen = Charles Summers

                   |

                  Mom

                      |

                     Me

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References:
[1] Notes on Family by Virginia Elaine Summers Olsen.
[2] http://www.longislandfiretrucks.com/merrick-fire-department---640/category/history