The Eureka Hook, Ladder and Bucket Company No. 1, the oldest fire company in Rockville Centre and one of the oldest on Long Island’s South Shore, is celebrating its 150th anniversary — a milestone that reflects a century and a half of neighbors helping neighbors.
In 1875, Rockville Centre was a quiet hamlet of about 1,000 people in Queens County, slowly shifting from farmland to commuter town after the railroad arrived in 1867, Steve Rakeman, Honorary Fire Chief, and longtime member of the Eureka company, said. With no local government, school or basic services, fires posed a growing threat, which became a reality in 1874 when a barn burnt down.
“A bunch of local tradesmen got together and said, ‘We’ve got to protect ourselves,’” Rakeman said.
On Sept. 25, 1875, 19 men met at Institute Hall to form a fire company. Despite opposition, they raised $150, hired local wheelwrights Charles and H. Clay Losea to build a fire wagon and secured land from member W.E. Whitney. With a cry of “Eureka!” — “I have found it!” — the company was born.
Eureka’s first official meeting was held on Nov. 1, 1875, with strict foreman John Sprague at the helm, known for fining members for lateness or missed alarms, Rakeman said. The company’s first recorded fire call came on July 28, 1876, when members used buckets and axes to save a property.
With no water system, early firefighting relied on hook-and-ladder tactics and bucket brigades. Fires were rare but often devastating. The third, in 1879, destroyed the Golder Hotel and Store at Merrick and Long Beach Roads.
“Back before there were fire pumps and fire hydrants and fire hoses, they used to use buckets to get water to a fire,” Anthony Rugolo, chief of the Rockville Centre Fire Department, said, “and that’s why they’re the hook, ladder and bucket company.”
For years, Eureka was the only fire company on the South Shore between Freeport and Jamaica — established before the village, school district, or even national landmarks like the Statue of Liberty.
“These are all people who volunteer,” Rakeman said. “They do it for nothing, simply because it’s the right thing to do. And I think that’s a great thing in our cumulative heritage
Since that first fire alarm in 1876, when volunteers responded with axes and buckets to save property, the company has grown alongside the village. In 2024, Rakeman said Eureka responded to more than 900 alarms, a dramatic increase from the three fires it answered in its first five years.
There are 59 current members of the Eureka Company, Rakeman said, and more than 500 volunteers have served with Eureka since 1875. Rakeman has been a part of it for 58 years. He recalled watching trucks roll out of the firehouse as a boy, later joining Eureka to face his fear of heights while climbing ladders.
“This is not something that you do, this is something of who you are,” he said. “You lift that hand and you take the oath, you are swearing that you learn, train and be ready to protect someone else’s life with yours.”
The company’s history includes moments of triumph and hardship. In 1896, a fire destroyed its original firehouse and equipment on Washington Street. Members rushed in to save what they could, and the company rebuilt on the same site within months. Charred trophies from that fire still sit in the firehouse’s display case at its current address, 103 Maple Avenue.
Over time, more companies formed in Rockville Centre to meet growing demand. Live Oak in 1890, Defender and Alert in 1895, Reliance in 1908, Woodland in 1912 and finally Floodlight in 1942. Eureka members played founding roles in each. Five members of Eureka went on to become mayors or village presidents, including former mayor Eugene J. Murray, who served as mayor of the village from 1987 to 2007.
The company recently recovered and restored its original 1958 American LaFrance truck, which led the annual Fourth Battalion parade through Rockville Centre on Sept. 13 in celebration of the anniversary.
While the Eureka company has evolved, with updated gear and apparatus, what hasn’t changed is the dedication to protect and serve the community, keeping Rockville Centre safe.
To prevent harm from fires, Rakeman said bedroom doors should always be closed at night, with smoke alarms installed both inside and just outside the room. A flashlight should be kept by the bed so that if an alarm sounds, a person can slide out of bed and stay low to the ground, where it’s safest. For children on the second floor, Rakeman added, it’s important not to lock windows, as they may need to be opened quickly for air or rescue.
As Eureka celebrates 150 years of service, the company — and the department as a whole — could use more volunteers, Chief Rugolo said.
“We’ve always had big numbers as far as membership, but a lot of other towns are going down,” he said. “We’re always looking for new members, and we always welcome new members.”
