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Within our department, Mr. Myerly held the appointed position of driver, which later led to his promotion to relief driver. This role required him to be on call for a twelve-hour shift every other night and every other weekend to cover for the full-time engineer while they were on another call, ensuring that a driver was always available at the station. He took great pride in the operation and maintenance of our equipment, which earned him the elected position of truck foreman. Mr. Myerly is responsible for Westminster’s signature white lock ring wheels, which are still featured on our museum’s apparatus.

In addition to his operational roles, Mr. Myerly was elected to several administrative positions. Our membership elected him as Secretary/Treasurer, Vice President, and President. He also served on numerous committees, including chairing the Cadillac raffle committee, now known as the Big Money Raffle. His contributions were instrumental in the success of this committee, which has been active since the late 1960s.

Mr. Myerly also became involved at the county level, using his skills to serve as Treasurer of the Carroll County Firemen’s Association for sixteen years. In 1966, during his tenure as Treasurer, the Carroll County Fire Chiefs Association established the Carroll County Central Fire Alarm System. Mr. Myerly took on payroll and accounting duties for the paid radio dispatchers until the county assumed responsibility many years later. Although much more advanced than the desk with a radio on the second floor of the Westminster Station, he played a key role in the beginning of the Carroll County 911 system we know today.

Mr. Myerly’s dedication to service will leave an indelible mark on the history of our department and the fire and EMS services of Carroll County. This past year, he was recognized for 65 years of membership.

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The Wirt and Knox hand-pulled hose reel was originally purchased in 1883, after a disastrous fire in town that destroyed 16 houses, Grace Lutheran Church, two businesses, and eight stables. After the fire, the City of Westminster built a new water system and ordered the chemical engine sold and a hose and reel bought. This reel would be the first of five reels to serve the city over the years, with some housed at each end of the city and at the main firehouses. 

The reel was sold in 1922 to the newly formed Parkville Fire Company of Hanover, PA. Most recently, the reel was on display at the Greater Hanover Area Fire Museum. The prior owner, Bruce Yealy, graciously loaned the reel to us during our 200th Anniversary in 2023 to display in our museum. When Mr. Yealy picked up the reel, the last thing we said to him was, “If you ever part with it, let us know.” 

To our surprise, we received correspondence from Mr. Yealy in February. 2026. He said it was available for purchase. He shared his desire for it to return to Westminster, and we could not have agreed more.

Through a recently received grant, the Historical Museum of the Westminster Fire Department was able to bring this classic piece of firefighting equipment back home to Westminster. It can be seen proudly displayed alongside our 1897 Wirt and Knox hose reel and our 1898 Holloway hose carriage. In addition to this classic hand-drawn apparatus, our museum also proudly displays our 1924 American LaFrance City Service Truck and our 1933 American LaFrance 300 Series fire engine. These and many other items showcasing our deep history can be seen by visiting The Historical Museum of The Westminster Fire Department. Located at our fire station at 28 John Street, Westminster, MD.

The Historical Museum of the Westminster Fire Department’s next open house featuring the Easter Bunny will be on March 28, 2026, from 10:00 AM-2:00 PM. 

Jeff Ausherman
Historian, Life Member

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We would like to extend a sincere thank you to Tractor Supply Company (TSC) for generously providing a smoker to the Westminster Fire Department at 50% off.

We truly appreciate TSC’s continued support of their local fire department. Partnerships like this make a real difference, and we’re grateful to have such a supportive local business standing behind us.

Thank you for supporting those who support the community!

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