HISTORY OF GOODSON KINDERHOOK
In early 1967 some active Volunteer Firefighters with the Washington County Volunteer Fire Department No. 1 along with several community members realized that there was a need in our community for an organized Fire Department. Most of these discussions took place at Ray Ball's Trading Post located at Burson's Corner (now the Country Corner Market) on Benhams Road.
Property for the Main Station was deeded to the then named Washington County Volunteer Fire Department No.2 on March 27, 1967, and the Calvary Bible Church donated a Right-Of-Way.
When preparing to apply for the Certificate of Incorporation with the Virginia State Corporation Commission it was decided then to change the name of the new Fire Department in order to describe the area of Washington County Virginia it would serve. Since the new Fire Department would be serving the Goodson Magisterial District and the Kinderhook Magisterial District of Washington County Virginia, it was decided to name the Fire Department the Goodson Kinderhook Volunteer Fire Department.
The Certificate of Incorporation was approved and granted, recognizing the Goodson Kinderhook Volunteer Fire Department as an Incorporated Organization on May 28, 1967. The initial Board of Directors of the Goodson Kinderhook Volunteer Fire Department was Attorney David D. Brown, Herbert Hensley, Elgin Tester, Ray Ball and Frederic P. Wagner.
The Main Station was bult with funding from the Washington County Board of Supervisors and community donations and consisted basically of a two-bay block building costing $7,000. The Department was also able with the support from the Washington County Board of Supervisors and community donations (mainly received from a jar placed at Ray Ball's Trading Post) to purchase a used 1948 Ford Fire Engine for $2,950. Until the Main Station Building was completed in the Fall of 1967, the Fire Department Headquartered at Ray Ball's Trading Post and the 1948 Ford Fire Engine was housed at Herb Hensley's Garage.
Orginally the Goodson Kinderhook Volunteer Fire Department and the Washington County Volunteer Fire Department No. 1 mutually responded to any type of call in Southern and Western Washington County Virginia, and that close working relationship between these two Fire Departments continue to this day. Several established Fire Departments in Washington County Virginia donated some needed equipment and tools to assist the new Fire Department.
Required Duty Shifts was implemented in January 1970 requiring the Volunteers to spend one night a month at the Fire Station.
Approval to purchase the Fire Department's first new Fire Engine was received in June 1970, and a 1970 GMC Oren Fire Engine was purchased.
With redistricting in Washington County Virginia and the decision to rename the seven Magisterial Districts after the seven Virginia born United States Presidents, the Goodson KInderhook name became a very unique name for the Fire Department.
With the closure of the Goodson Kinderhook Water Works when it was incorporated into the Washington County Service Authority, the Goodson Kinderhook Volunteer Fire Department became the last remaining County entity or organization retaining the names of the two former Magisterial Districts.
Automatic Mutual Response on any type of call with the Washington County Volunteer Fire Department No. 1 was restricted to only Structure Fires in March 1971.
The first major addition to the Main Station consisting of an upstairs containing a meeting room begain in May 1971.
Discussions on organizing Volunteers in the Mendota Community for a second Goodson Kinderhook Fire Station begain in October 1971, and a second Fire Station was in operation in the Spring of 1972 with the original 1948 Ford Fire Engine housed at that Fire Station.
The second major addition to the Main Station began in 1972. This consisted of a third bay and two rooms upstairs.
Purchase of a second new Fire Engine occured in 1977 with the purchase of a 1977 Ford Oren Fire Engine.
The Junior Volunteer Fire Department was disbanded in March 1981.
Purchase of a used Tanker Truck occured, a 1966 International Tanker. This Truck was unique to the other Trucks with the Fire Pump located on the front of the Truck.
In 1983 the first Revision of the Goodson Kinderhook Volunteer Fire Department's Constitution and By-Laws was completed.
Purchase of the third new Fire Engine occurred in July 1985 with the purchase of a 1985 Ford Grumman Fire Engine.
Purchase of a new Tanker Truck occured in December 1985 with the purchase of a 1989 Ford Tanker.
The Goodson KInderhook Volunteer Fire Department became certified as an EMS First Response Agency in 1994, responding mutually with the Bristol Life Saving Crew to Emergency Medical Calls to provide Emergency Medical Care.
In August 1994 the Goodson KInderhook Volunteer Fire Department purchased additional adjacent property for the purpose of future expansion.
The Goodson Kinderhook Volunteer Fire Department's Official Patch was redesigned. This is the same Patch that is used today.
In 1995 the Goodson KInderhook Volunteer Fire Department began creating and implementing Standard Operating Procedures.
Purchase of the fourth new Fire Engine occured in May 1995 with the purchase of a 1995 Spartan Quality Fire Engine.
The Goodson KInderhook Volunteer Fire Department began EMS Transport Services in 1997 as a joint venture with the Bristol Life Saving Crew by housing a Bristol Life Saving Crew Ambulance at it's Main Station.
The Goodson KInderhook Volunteer Fire Department began EMS Transport Services independently in 1998 with the arrival of their first new Ambulance.
In 2001 the second Revision of the Goodson KInderhook Volunteer Fire Department's Constitution and By-Laws was completed.
The third major addition/expansion to the Main Sation began in September 2001. The ground breaking for this expansion occured not long after September 11, 2001 and was a time of reflection to the many heroes who made the ultimate sacrifice that day. This Expansion Project effectively doubled the size of the Main Station and included enlargement of the bays, meeting room, sleeping quarters, bathrooms and office facilities.
The hiring of the Fire Department's first Paid Firefighter/EMT occured in September 2001.
Monthly required Duty Shifts of the Volunteers were increased to two per month in March 2003.
Purchase of the fifth new Fire Engine in January 2005 with the purchase of a 2005 Spartan Crimson Fire Engine.
The hiring of the Fire Department's second paid Firefighter/EMT occured September 2004.
The Goodson Kinderhook Volunteer Fire Department began billing for Emergency Medical Transport Services in October 2004.
The hiring of the Fire Department's third and fourth paid Firefighter/EMT's occurred in August 2005. This allowed the Department to have a paid Firefighter/EMT on duty at the Main Station seven days a week, twenty-four hours a day.
The hiring of the Fire Department's fifth and sixth paid Firefighter/EMT's occured in 2007. This allowed the Department to have two paid Firefigher/EMT on duty at the Main Station seven days a week, twenty-four hours a day.
Purchase of the Department's second new Tanker occured in 2010 with the purchase of a 3,000 gallon International Rosenbauer.
Purchase of the Department's sixth new Fire Engine in Fall of 2019 with the purchase of a 2019 Freighliner Rosenbauer Fire Engine.
With the new Mendota Trail growing, the Department was able to add to its apparatus list a Polaris UTV setup with capabilities to transport a patient and is set up with Emergency Lights and Radio. This will help with Emergencies on the Trail and also used for other events like Forest Fires and Stand Bys.
In the Summer of 2023 the Mendota Station was closed mostly due to Building issues. WIth the advancement of Fire Engines over the years they are now larger in size than they were 30 years ago and the size of the Station very much limited what apparatus can be parked there. It is the whole intention of Goodson Kinderhook Volunteer Fire Department to hopefully in the future have a new Station built in the Mendota area and increase the Membership in this area for the Station.
Since the purchase of the Department's first new Ambulance in 1998, the Department has had a total of 2 new Ford Power Stroke Diesel, 1 new Chevrolet Duramax Diesel and 3 new Dodge Ram Cummins Diesel Ambulances.