Maryland State Firemen's Association
association
Statewide association of Maryland fire companies. At its June 1924 convention — a parade of twenty-five companies, 1,500 men and twenty-five pieces of apparatus — it chose Ocean City as its convention city for 1925. The Ocean City convention was duly held on 10-12 June 1925, with delegations from across the state, a parade and a band contest won by the Elkton Fire Company Band against ten other bands. The association voted at Ocean City to meet at Westminster in 1926, declining Elkton's bid. Six months later Ocean City's own department was found, in the words of the county paper, 'in such a condition as to make it practically useless' when the town caught fire.
In the record (9)
1925 · 1925-06-10
The Maryland State Firemen's Association held its annual convention at Ocean City on 10–12 June 1925, with a parade, a band contest and delegations from across the state.
The Montgomery County Sentinel of 8 May 1925 records Rockville's delegates "to the annual meeting of the Maryland State Firemen's Association at Ocean City on June 10, 11 and 12" — Joseph W. Howes, chief, and Wm. F. Disney, engineer, with two alternates. The Worcester Democrat of 28 March notes Princess Anne naming five delegates and five alternates and selling "mahogany finish seven foot bridge lamps, valued at $25.00 each in order to defray the expenses of the delegates." The Midland Journal reported afterward, on 19 June, that the "Elkton Fire Company Band in contest with ten other organizations, won first prize at the Firemen's Convention held in Ocean City, last week," and that "The Maryland State Firemen's Association, in convention at Ocean City last week, voted to accept the invitation to meet in Westminster, Md., next year." Elkton's own department had instructed its representatives to bid for the 1926 convention and lost.
Every fire company in Maryland came to Ocean City in June. In December Ocean City had to telephone six of them for help.
Ocean City Volunteer Fire Department
Source · checked 2026-08-06
1925 · 1925-12-29
"Ocean City's fire fighting department when called to the rescue was found to be in such a condition as to make it practically useless" — six months after the town hosted the Maryland State Firemen's convention.
Worcester Democrat, 2 January 1926: "Ocean City's fire fighting department when called to the rescue was found to be in such a condition as to make it practically useless. Aid was summoned from nearby towns—Pocomoke City, Salisbury, Princess Anne, Berlin, Snow Hill, and Laurel, Del., and these were instrumental in preventing a much larger spread of flames. Holes had to be cut in the ice of the Bay to secure water, and the amount of hose necessary from the bridge to the burning buildings made it impossible to throw more than one stream from the fire trucks; but so effective was the fighting, that possibly the whole line of buildings from the Casino down were saved from destruction. Pocomoke City received her S. O. S. call between noon and one o'clock, and it was not long before the boys were on the way. The severely cold weather made the trip a veritable punishment, but the boys stuck to their truck and did valliant service after arrival." The Milford Chronicle counted six outside companies and added: "Frozen fire plugs hampered the efforts of firemen, and it was necessary to pump water direct from Sinepuxent Bay." Fearing the whole resort was doomed, "buildings for some distance from the danger zone were stripped of furniture, which was piled along the streets and on vacant lots."
In June the Maryland State Firemen's Association paraded through Ocean City; in December the town's own apparatus would not work and the hydrants were frozen, and six companies from three counties and Delaware had to cut holes in the bay ice.
Ocean City Volunteer Fire Department
Source · checked 2026-08-06
1928 · 1928-07-13
Ocean City's volunteer firemen take Best Appearance at the Selbyville parade in July, and march in the Washington firemen's parade in September.
Milford Chronicle, 13 July 1928, on the Selbyville Fire Company's carnival parade: "The line-up was as follows: Selbyville, Ocean City, Md., Georgetown, Harrington, Millsboro, Milford No. 1, Willards, Md., Seaford, S. V. F. D. No. 2. The prize winners were arranged in the following order: Best appearance, Ocean City. Most men, Willards. Greatest distance, Harrington. Best band, Milford. Silver cups were awarded [as] prizes." Seven weeks later, on 1 September, Ocean City was among the thirty-odd Maryland companies parading in Washington under the officers of the Maryland State Volunteer Firemen's Association, in a section with seven bands and three drum corps, between the Maryland delegation and the Marine Band.
In 1923 the county paper called the Ocean City fire department "practically useless." Two and a half years after the fire that burned three blocks of the ocean front while six out-of-town companies pumped out of the bay, the town's own company is winning silver cups for turnout and parading in the national capital. Turnout is not firefighting — but it is the first good news this thread has had.
Ocean City Volunteer Fire Department
Source · checked 2026-08-06
1931 · 1931-07-08
Fifteen hundred firemen fill the Ocean City Pier Convention Hall, 8-10 July 1931 — the pier is not only standing, it is the town's assembly room.
Washington Times, 9 July 1931: "Although the OCEAN CITY PIER CONVENTION HALL was crowded at the opening session last night, delegates and units from State towns continued to arrive throughout the night and morning and it is expected that more than 1,500 firemen will attend the sessions tonight." The Maryland State Volunteer Firemen's Association met at Ocean City on 8, 9 and 10 July, with delegations from every fire department in Montgomery County and from Cecil, and with a candidate for president — Noble F. Rushe, the Hyattsville chief — running on a bill to tax insurance companies for the support of veteran volunteer firemen and their widows. Delaware's own association complained in April that Maryland had booked the same dates. The drum-and-bugle corps at the parade were judged in part by CALLAHAN THOMPSON, son of Mr. and Mrs. S. E. Thompson, "who is manager of the pier and dance pavilion at Ocean City, Md."
The pier thread has been running blind since the fire of 1925. 1930 gave a 700-foot fishing pier and a 900-foot one and no owner; 1932 gave nothing at all in 645 pages; 1933 gave a wreck. 1931 gives the building in use, with a name on the door — the first time this campaign can name anyone running the Ocean City pier and dance pavilion.
Ocean City Fishing PierPier Ballroom & Bandshell SiteOcean City Amusement Pier CorporationCallahan Thompson
Source · checked 2026-08-10
1937 · 1937-06-16
The council refused to grant anyone a taxi franchise in 1937, licensed a bicycle-hire man, and told the fireworks dealers the ordinance would be enforced
'Taxi Service was discussed and on motion by W. H. Scott, Seconded by W. P. Laws council refuses to grant any franchise.' In the same sitting of 16 June 1937 the 'Application of Harold I. Schneiderer for to rent Bikes was O.K.'; the council 'decided to enforce the fireworks ordinance & Secretary instructed to notify all dealers of this section'; an unnumbered ordinance was passed; and the council granted the Fire Company $50 towards their expenses to Easton, where the Maryland State Firemen's Association was holding its convention. Earlier in the month the council had also turned away a trailer park: the secretary was to tell Mr. Duncan Jr. 'they did not look kindly to any place north of Dorchester St.', though the railroad lot south of Worcester Street might be considered if the neighbours had no objection and the sanitary condition could be met.
Ocean City Volunteer Fire DepartmentWilliam H. ScottW. Preston LawsHarold I. Schneiderer
Source · checked 2026-08-11
1938 · 1938-05-31
Ocean City sent twenty-five firemen to Baltimore in 1938 to ask for the state convention, and half the money was a loan against a dance
'Delegation from Fire Co. asked City to finance part of Cost of sending 25 firemen to state Convention in Baltimore to ask for state Convention here next Year. They Estimated the Cost at 25.00 per man.' That was 4 April; the council took it under consideration. On 31 May Capt. T. T. Moore and Fire Chief Archie Davis came back, and 'Council agreed to give 325.00 out right and finance 325.00 for them until they held a dance in August and repaid the 325.00.' Six hundred and fifty dollars for a delegation, half of it a bridging loan to be repaid out of a summer dance. It was the third thing the town did for the fire company that year: $450 towards uniforms on 18 January, permission on 10 May to take the No. 2 truck to the convention at Onancock, Virginia, and permission on 22 November to take a truck to Salisbury for a parade on 25 November.
Ocean City Volunteer Fire DepartmentA. C. DavisThomas T. Moore
Source · checked 2026-08-11
1961 · 1961-06-21
7,000 firefighters from 200-plus companies take over the resort for the Maryland State Firemen's Association's 69th convention.
The 69th annual convention of the Maryland State Firemen's Association ran June 21–23, 1961 — one of the largest of the 50-plus conventions Ocean City booked that season. More than 200 fire companies and roughly 7,000 people were expected, with advance reservations so heavy that many booked through the following weekend. The program included a variety show Wednesday evening, a crab dinner Thursday, and a dance in the Pier Ballroom Friday night.
Pier Ballroom & Bandshell Site
Source · checked 2026-08-06
2003 · 2003-06-16
Steve Hales was inducted into the Maryland State Firemen's Association Hall of Fame, and Clay Stamp and Bo Duke received the Golden Cup of Heroism for saving a life at the Siesta Village fire
Under comments from the Mayor at the 16 June 2003 regular session: "Mayor Mathias noted that Steve Hales had been inducted into the Hall of Fame by the Maryland State Firemen's Association for his many years of service and that Clay Stamp and Bo Duke had received the Golden Cup of Heroism Award for their efforts in the saving of a life at a fire at Siesta Village last year." Stamp was the town's Emergency Services Director; later in the year he wrote the Hurricane Isabel wrap-up and was invited with the Mayor to Estonia.
Ocean City Volunteer Fire DepartmentJames N. "Jim" Mathias Jr.
Source · checked 2026-09-10
2019 · 2019-06-17
The Maryland State Firemen's Association held its 127th annual convention in Ocean City in June 2019, and the town's new Jellyfish Festival added a free First Responders Day on 20 June in partnership with it
At the Regular Meeting of 15 April 2019 the council took the Jellyfish Festival addendum: "Culture Changers, LLC, is partnering with the Maryland State Firemen's Association and requested approval to hold First Responders Day on Thursday, June 20, 2019, within the Jellyfish festival footprint. This is a free event paying tribute to Police, EMS, Fire Fighters and Armed Forces." The association's own annual events passed on consent on 6 May. On 17 June, under Comments from the Mayor and City Council: "Mayor Meehan welcomed Maryland State Fireman's Association 127th Annual Convention, thanked Bryan Lilley and staff involved for the successful Air Show and discussed concerns of offshore wind turbine installations." The Special Events Director had told the April budget hearing that his five-person department produced "34+ events" and oversaw "165+ private events" a year, the Jellyfish Festival being the new one.
Source · checked 2026-09-10