The Cherrydale VFD helping out

The history of the Cherrydale VFD includes at least twice where we have stepped up to help a new fire departments begin. As the first fire department in Arlington County, we knew what it was like to start from the ground up and wanted to give to other departments just starting out. According to the histories of two local departments, the McLean Volunteer Fire Department (Fairfax County Station 401) and the Ritchie Volunteer Fire Department (Prince George's County Station 37) , the CVFD was able to step up when it mattered:

McLean VFD - McLean, VA - 1921
Department was organized and began serving the citizens of McLean. We started small. The first piece of equipment was borrowed from our neighbor, Cherrydale VFD. An old barn served as our station.

Bowie VFD - Bowie, MD - 1928
The first fire call for the new Bowie Volunteer Fire Department occurred at 10:30 a.m. on Thursday, February 16, 1928. A chimney fire at the residence of Joseph Kline, Sr. was extinguished with chemical and salt. At the second meeting of the department Mr. W.L. Trott, Sr., was asked to serve as President and the department was on its way. Membership started to develop, a constitution and by-laws were developed and talks were under way for means of acquiring fire equipment and a station. It was determined at the first meetings that the department would not be connected with the town government or any other government agency. It was also determined that no tax monies would be solicited or used, but rather funds would be raised through volunteer contributions and fund raising events like dinners, plays, carnivals and other community functions. In just over two months the department acquired its first equipment. With a personal loan from Chief Joffe and through his business dealings with the Cherrydale, Virginia Volunteer Fire Department, two Ford Model "T" -chemical fire trucks were purchased for the total of $625.00. This equipment was placed in service immediately and housed in Mr. Kreitzer's Bowie Motor Company auto repair garage on 9th Street. Mr. Kreitzer furnished building keys to the officers of the department in order to have easy access when a fire call came in.

This is the hose cart that McLean borrowed from Cherrydale