About
McKean Hose Company

On September 4, 1940, the McKean Civic Association called a meeting to find out whether the area wanted a fire department. It did, and on October 21, 1940, a small group of volunteers incorporated as the McKean Hose Company.

We have run on volunteers ever since. Join us.

A cast metal plaque on the station's brick wall reading McKEAN HOSE COMPANY, FOUNDED 1940, REDEDICATED 1977, mounted above an old red cast-iron fire alarm call box.

History

1940
A meeting at the Civic Association On September 4, 1940 the McKean Civic Association met with the sole purpose of arousing interest in a fire department to serve the McKean area. The response was overwhelmingly positive. The following month a dinner meeting brought in representatives from the Edinboro, Kearsarge, West Lake and West Ridge hose companies, with Attorney J. Evans on hand to assist with the charter. On October 21, 1940 a small group of volunteers was incorporated as the McKean Hose Company, to provide fire protection to Middleboro, now McKean Borough, along with McKean Township and the close vicinity.
1941
The first year The members adopted the original by-laws on May 19, 1941. President William Plack and Chief Lynn Sterrett led the Hose Company in its first year. The first station stood on Main Street, where the Elm Tree Apartments are today.
1947
The Bazaar The first annual McKean Hose Company Bazaar was held in July 1947 to raise money for a new station. The Bazaar remained a Hose Company tradition into the early 1990s.
1951
Across the street A new station was built across Main Street, on the site now occupied by Route 99 Auto Parts.
1977
School Street By 1975 the Hose Company had outgrown the Main Street station. A committee weighed expanding it against building new, and chose to sell the building to Powell's Auto Supply and construct the present station at 5011 School Street. It was completed and dedicated in 1977.

If you have photographs, documents, or records from our earlier years, we would like to see them. Get in touch.

The Station

We sold the Main Street station and built this one, dedicated in 1977. We keep four trucks and an ambulance here today.

The McKean Hose Company station: a brick building with a dark metal roof, bay doors raised with an ambulance and a pickup inside, McKEAN HOSE CO. spelled out in white letters on the brick front, and a red side door at the right.
The roadside sign outside the station, blue framed, topped with the department crest and reading McKean Hose Company above a changeable letterboard that says TRAIN HARDER, YOUR LIFE DEPENDS ON IT.

The station is at 5011 School Street.

See the apparatus

Service Area

Our 1940 charter set our purpose as fire protection for Middleboro, McKean Township and the close vicinity. Middleboro became McKean Borough in 1970. We cover all of it.

The area sits in the Lake Erie snowbelt. We also answer calls across Erie County when a neighboring department asks for help.

Officers

Every one of our officers serves unpaid.

Fire Officers

  • Fire Chief (400) Board of Directors Scott Haywood
  • Assistant Fire Chief (401) Board of Directors Jonathan Zentis
  • Fire Captain (411) Chris Henry
  • EMS and Rescue Captain (412) Jay Cerny
  • Safety Officer (S-40) Mike Zentis
  • Ambulance Lieutenant (40-A1) Heather Courson
  • Department Chaplain Brian Kelly

Administrative Officers

  • President Board of Directors John Meyer
  • Vice President and Chairwoman of the Board Michaela Zentis
  • Treasurer Board of Directors Regan Shabloski
  • Recording Secretary Heather Courson
  • Financial Secretary Steven Amrhein
  • Fund Drive Secretary Chris Henry
  • Board of Directors Cory Turner
  • Board of Directors Logan Lutch

Mutual Aid

McKean Hose Company and its neighboring departments respond to each other's calls when an emergency needs more people or equipment than one department can provide.