EAGLE HISTORY

The Eagle Hose Company came into being on October 15, 1915 when 12 men from the Polish Town area of Riverhead petitioned the Board of Fire Commissioners for the right to form a hose company, to be known as Eagle Hose Company #6. These men, all of Polish descent, held their first meetings in the home of Bruno Panewich on the southeast corner of the intersection of what is now Pulaski and Sweezy Streets. Under the direction of their first foreman, Leo Zambriski, they conducted their meetings in Polish and even their first minutes were written in Polish.

The Eagle Hose Company came into being on October 15, 1915 when 12 men from the Polish Town area of Riverhead petitioned the Board of Fire Commissioners for the right to form a hose company, to be known as Eagle Hose Company #6. These men, all of Polish descent, held their first meetings in the home of Bruno Panewich on the southeast corner of the intersection of what is now Pulaski and Sweezy Streets. Under the direction of their first foreman, Leo Zambriski, they conducted their meetings in Polish and even their first minutes were written in Polish.

In 1917 the Eagles moved to a building on Pulaski Street capable of storing their equipment. This building was on the south side of the street opposite what is now the Birchwood Restaurant. In 1924 the Eagles moved to a new building on Hamilton Avenue, which was erected on property purchased, by the fire district. Six years later, the same building was turned around and enlarged. This building remained until 1958, when the commissioners decided to have a new, modern, one-story building built on the same property; it would be named Fire Station #1. The old firehouse was moved to the northwest corner of Hamilton Avenue and Parkway Street and today serves the Veterans of Foreign Wars as their clubhouse.

The first piece of Eagle fire apparatus was a two-wheel hose cart, several years later a four-wheel hose cart was added. These carts, boasting a total of about 375 feet of hose, were pulled to fires by manpower. The company became mechanized in 1923 with the purchase of a Dodge truck, and through the years progressed to more modern trucks, finally getting its first actual “pumper” in 1946. A brand-new Seagrave replaced this pumper in 1961. Then a diesel-powered Seagrave was purchased in 1974 and was replaced in 1994 with Seagraves latest modern engine in use today.

The men of the Eagle Hose Company were known for their abilities at tournaments. Under the name “The Flying Eagles”, they won many trophies, which are on display at the firehouse. The eagles raced as an individual company in the old days from about 1923 until the year 1935 when the Riverhead “Ironmen” Racing team was formed.

The company is unique that the membership has followed a distinct father-and-son pattern. Many of our members have followed in their father's footsteps, a tradition in which we are justly proud.

The Eagle Hose Company #4 has served the community proudly for over 87 years and will continue to do so well into the future.

Originally penned in 1986 by Eagle Ex-Capt. William Brooks Jr., Revised in 2002 by Red Bird Ex-Capt. Raymond Kwasna for this site.