Southampton Fire Department

One of the Village’s most vital institutions—the Southampton Fire Department’s story begins in 1881, when its first quarters were established on land rented from Dr. Hallock beside the South End School near 76 Jobs Lane. In those earliest days, firefighters were summoned by the ringing of the bell at the First Presbyterian Church—a sound that called volunteers from across the Village to action. By 1887, the department had grown in both size and ambition, erecting its own firehouse and installing a dedicated bell on property rented along Job’s Lane. These early firefighters were deeply engaged in the broader fire service community, joining the Suffolk County Fireman’s Association in 1889 and participating in regional tournaments that tested their skill and speed. In the 1890s, two cornerstone companies—Agawam Engine Company and Hook & Ladder Company—constructed a new fire station on Job’s Lane. During this period, the department acquired its first hand-drawn fire engine and hose carts, funded through generous donations from local residents. Firefighting equipment at the time relied heavily on manpower, occasionally aided by horses, until the introduction of gasoline-powered apparatus in the early 20th century. In 1928, the museum’s own Samuel Parrish donated a new Packard fire truck, helping modernize the all-volunteer corps. As the Village expanded, so too did the department’s reach. In 1923, a formal agreement with the Town of Southampton extended fire protection beyond the Village boundaries. That same year marked a major milestone with the opening of a new central firehouse on Windmill Lane, which remains the department’s headquarters today. Growth continued through the decades with the addition of substations on Hampton Road in 1959 and St. Andrews Road in 1976, establishing the three-zone system that still protects the Village’s eastern, central, and western areas. Communication technology also evolved dramatically—from church bells to steam sirens, and eventually to electronic alerts and personal radio systems introduced in the 1970s. Today, firefighters are alerted instantly through compact pagers, a far cry from the days of hand-rung bells. Now comprised of approximately 145 volunteer firefighters and a fleet of 25 emergency response vehicles, the Southampton Fire Department stands as a testament to generations of dedication, innovation, and unwavering service—protecting the Village while preserving a proud and storied tradition.