Sea Cliff Fire Department celebrates 140 years

In a nostalgic journey through time, the Sea Cliff Village Museum is set to unveil a captivating exhibit commemorating the 140th anniversary of the Sea Cliff Fire Department.

The exhibit, “Sea Cliff’s Finest: Celebrating 140 Years of the Sea Cliff Fire Department” and opening at the museum on Feb. 10, will reveal the rich history and community spirit behind the fire department’s longstanding service.

Library Director Courtney Chambers said that the museum’s endeavor to revive the memory of the fire department’s history was inspired by the news of the anniversary of the department’s founding. Chambers added that while the museum had done an exhibit on the fire department in the past, it had been over 40 years ago, and the time felt right to host another.

“We thought it would be fun to do a show on the fire department and its history,” Chambers said. “The museum has done an exhibit on the history of the Fire Department before in the 1980s. So we thought maybe it was time to refresh people’s memories of the history of our wonderful fire department.”

The exhibit promises to be a visual journey, with artifacts borrowed from the fire department’s impressive collection as well as from the many residents with long family ties to the department. The fire department, established in 1884, is just one year younger than the village’s incorporation, and has seen hundreds of volunteer members from local families over their nearly century and a half of existence.

In fact, for the first 23 years of existence it was called the F.W. Geissenhainer Engine Company, in honor of the original mayor of Sea Cliff and the founder of the Fire Department. The exhibit’s photos and artifacts will show the change in firefighting technology in the last 140 years, although the bravery of the volunteers remains the same.

“Thanks to our wonderful Henry Otto Korten photograph archive, we have photos of the early Fire Department, their early hand pump trucks through the modern era,” Chambers continued. “The fire department would compete in tournaments, and they would win trophies from some of those events. It should be really fun.”

Bobby Citko, a fire department member for over 30 years and currently department secretary, shared the excitement of the fire department in collaborating on this unique exhibit. He revealed that the idea to celebrate the 140th anniversary came from Chambers herself, as he and the rest of the department were initially more focused on holding celebrations in 2034 for the 150th anniversary.

“It was nice when Courtney contacted the fire department saying that the museum wanted to do an exhibit celebrating our 140th anniversary,” Citko said. “We definitely jumped at the opportunity to do it with her.”

The veteran firefighter highlighted the historical significance of the fire department, acknowledging the dedication of volunteers over the years. He also mentioned that as volunteer fire companies become smaller and scarcer throughout the country it is more important than ever to honor the history and service of its members over the century.

“I think it’s important to embrace the history that has brought us to this point,” Citko continued. “You know, to those people who have over the years dedicated their time to keep the department active and grow with the modernization of firefighting.”

The exhibit aims to honor the past and showcase the present members and their ongoing commitment. Citko emphasized that it was important for the current members to see themselves as continuing the legacy of the original volunteers, and that their work was not only important to the village but also deeply appreciated by its residents.

Chambers and Citko emphasized community involvement in the exhibit, encouraging residents to contribute family heirlooms and artifacts. Anyone interested in donating or lending fire department-related artifacts to the exhibit can reach out to Chambers and the museum at museum@seacliff-ny.gov or (516) 801-3401.