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Spit and polish: Brandon Miller, a junior firefighter with... (Public Opinion/Ryan Blackwell)

Founded in 1780, the Friendship Engine and Hose Company is the second oldest volunteer fire company in the state of Pennsylvania.

It's also a department that struggles with a bit of an identity crisis. Although the company uses Chambersburg vehicles to fight fires within the borough, receives some funding from the borough and is part of the Chambersburg Fire Department, it is still a separate volunteer department.

However, unlike the volunteer Franklin Fire Company, the department did not have equipment that it owned. That changed last year when Friendship purchased its own engine tanker truck to serve both the community and the county.

The vehicle was placed in service March 31 of last year and ran 110 calls in its first 12 months of service.

The department was also given a new numerical designation in March as it became Company 14. The new number pertains solely to the engine tanker, meaning the vehicle is the only one at the firehouse that has the designation.

With the new truck and the new number, the company serves a dual role of providing mutual aid to departments in the outlying townships as well as being a department chartered by the borough.

"Being that we're the second-oldest in the state we still try to keep on going," said fire chief Robert Murray.

About the company

-- Name: Friendship Engine and Hose Company

-- Address: 261 E. McKinley St.

-- Phone: 263-5871.

-- On the Web: www.friendshipfirecompany.com

-- Chief and officers: chief, Robert W. Murray; president, Adam P. McNew; vice president, Jim T. Warne; secretary, Valerie M. Walls; treasurer, John McCrae; trustees, Scott E. Walls, Rodney A. Bartalow and Paul Stoops

-- Number of members: 100 overall members, with 12-15 of those being active members that run fire calls

-- Equipment: Friendship's engine tanker is a 1991 Pierce Lance that holds 2,500 gallons of water. They also operate two borough-owned fire engines: a 1995 Spartan LaVerne and a 1997 Spartan Fire Cab

-- History: The fire company was started as the United Fire Company on March 13, 1780. The name was changed to Friendship in 1830 after an argument. Two members of the department reportedly got into an argument over a new name for the department but later made peace. At the conclusion of the meeting, they "offered their hands in friendship" and a new name was adopted. The department brought the first piece of fire apparatus to the borough in 1850 with the purchase of a White Swan hose reel. This hand- or horse-drawn piece of equipment was used to fight fires in the Confederate burning of Chambersburg in 1864. The piece of equipment is still in existence today and is on display at the Chambersburg Fireman's Museum. The department was also the first in the area to have a horse-drawn steam fire engine in 1871 and the first motorized fire engine in 1911. In 1952, the department was the first in the area to have an underwater rescue and recovery truck. Friendship's first fire station was on W. Washington Street and moved to Second Street in 1830. The department moved in 1911 to East Point on Lincoln Way East, which is now Sollenberger's Notary Service, and remained there until 1975 when it moved to the current location on McKinley Street.

-- Fund raising: The Borough of Chambersburg covers the cost of the firehouse on McKinley Street, training for firemen and turnout gear for the department. However, Friendship must cover the cost of insurance and upkeep on its new engine as well as fueling and financing. To cover these costs, the department has booths at both ChambersFest and AppleFest and recently held a cash drawing. The department also holds a magic show in the spring and a children's show in the fall. They'll also do helmet drives at area businesses and solicit donations through the mail once a year. The department holds an Easter egg hunt at Memorial Park every year.

-- Auxiliary: The auxiliary has been dormant in the department for several years. However, Murray said that it could be reforming with a recent crop of new members.

-- Call stats: The department has run 307 calls ranging from fires and accidents to medical assistance since Jan. 1.