The Berkeley Springs Volunteer Fire Company was originally called the Bath Fire Brigade and was formed on December 29, 1893.  The original department had three companies: Hook and Ladder Company estabilshed in February 1893, Pioneer Hose Company of Bath, and The Reel Company established in 1912.  In the early days meetings were few and far between and very few minutes were kept making the history a little hard to follow.  The date of the first fire engine, a Dodge Chemical truck is a mystery in the company minutes, the only thing found was a motion made in 1924 to begin the search for a chemical engine.  The company’s second apparatus was a 1918 American LaFrance that was purchased from Baltimore County around 1938.  The county paid a sum of $1,000 for the pumper(Engine 1), which the company still has today.  The next noted apparatus purchase was in 1946 when Asst. Chief James Buzzerd made report of the cost of a new truck and pumper.  In the early 1950's it was brought to the attention of the public that the company needed a larger more efficient apparatus.  In 1953 the company purchased an International chassis special suitable to be used as a fire truck (Engine 3) from Largent Truck and Equipment of Berkeley Springs, WV.  The total cost for the unit after being equipped with a 500 gpm pump and tank was between $26,000 and $27,000.  The next big step was to build a building just for the fire department, at this point the Fire Department was housed in the town hall, (Joe’s Radio Shop currently).  In 1957 the corner stone was laid and the building was completed in 1958.  The next apparatus purchased was in 1966, again the company worked with Largent Truck and Equipment to purchase a International/Howe 750 gpm  engine( Engine 4).  After the purchase of Engine 4 several units were in service the next new apparatus purchased was a 1972 GMC/Stinebaugh (Tanker 8).  The next new apparatus purchase was a 1980 Mack CF 600(Engine 11) and it is still in service as a front line pumper today.  Engine 11 was totally refurbished in 1996 to become an enclosed cab, have ¾ compartments added, and numerous other changes. All work was completed by Interstate Truck Equipment in Hagerstown, MD and the true Mack look was maintained.  In 1988 a new GMC/American Eagle front mount pump Engine/Tanker was placed in service as Tanker 12. In 1991 the company replaced a Chevy box van that they had converted themselves into an utility with a new Ford/Frontline utility (Utility 1) There were several pumpers in-service from other departments in the years that followed included Engine 15 which is a 1970 Mack CF 600 that was purchased from Martinsburg Fire Department (Engine 1) and is still in service.  In 2000 the Morgan County Rescue decided that they could no longer provide the rescue service and we were asked if we interested in taking over extrication.  A 2000 Freightliner/EVI Squad (Squad 1) was purchased to replace a converted ambulance they had been using.  In the summer of 2009 the company received a Crimson Fire pumper (Engine 12) we are currently completing drivers training and final mounting of equipment.

Notable calls in recent history would be:

The Washington House Hotel, August 1974, 12 people perished

ANG C-130 Crash, Oct 1992, 6 people perished

Strip Mall Fire at Morgan Square, July 1998

The Morgan County Courthouse Fire, August 2006