LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION commemorating the 65th Anniversary of the Lake-
side Volunteer Fire Department

WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body to commemorate the
65th Anniversary of the Lakeside Volunteer Fire Department, and and to
honor all of its past and present members, for providing the citizens of
the Towns of Geddes, Van Buren and parts of Camillus with 65 years of
exemplary fire protection; and
WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern, and in full accord with its long-
standing traditions, it is the intent of this Legislative Body to
commemorate the 65th Anniversary of the Lakeside Volunteer Fire Depart-
ment; and
WHEREAS, Fire Departments are an integral part of community protection
in localities across this great Empire State; and
WHEREAS, For the past 65 years, the courageous and dedicated fire-
fighters of the Lakeside Volunteer Fire Department have valiantly
devoted their hard work and efforts to respond to various fire emergen-
cies, all the while earning the praise and respect of the community in
which they serve; and
WHEREAS, For the past 65 years, the Lakeside Volunteer Fire Department
has provided various fire, rescue and emergency services to the resi-
dents of the Towns of Geddes, Van Buren and Camillus, such as fire
suppression, fire prevention, vehicle rescue, life saving measures, and
community-wide safety programs; and
WHEREAS, In the fall of 1946, conversations began among interested
residents in the Lakeland-Lakeside area to create a volunteer fire
department; throughout the next two years, after several petitions were
previously turned down, the Geddes Town Board approved a petition to
create a fire protection district in the Lakeland-Lakeside area; and
WHEREAS, It then became necessary for the New York State Legislature
to pass legislation permitting the Town to decrease the size of the
current fire protection district and allow for the creation of a new
fire district; and
WHEREAS, Even with all these obstacles, in July of 1949, the Lakeside
Volunteer Fire district was formed with boundaries of 300 feet south of
Pleasant Beach Road to the north of Stiles Road and boundaries that
stretch to the Camillus Town Line and west to the shores of Onondaga
Lake; and
WHEREAS, The first Fire Chief was William E. Yager, Sr., who had 40
men serving under him; and
WHEREAS, In that same year, a location was selected for the first
Lakeside Volunteer Fire House located on a parcel of land on State Fair
Boulevard; it was contracted that a one-story brick building would be
erected; the fire station is still at its original location; and
WHEREAS, In November of 1949, equipment was purchased including a GMC
Chassis pumper-tanker, fully equipped with a 1,000 feet hose with a
booster line and water carrying capacity of 300 gallons; and
WHEREAS, In August of 1950, the fire house was completed and the new
fire truck was delivered; and
WHEREAS, The first fire the Lakeside Volunteer Fire Department
responded to was a grass fire on Stasko Drive, where rubbish being
burned was windswept into a dry field between two homes; and
WHEREAS, In 2013, the Lakeside Volunteer Fire Department responded to
approximately 800 fire, rescue and EMS calls; and
WHEREAS, The Lakeside Volunteer Fire Department has hosted numerous
community activities including: annual family picnics, children's holi-
day parties, and Halloween candy inspections; it sponsors local communi-

ty and service organizations such as: the Lakeside Ranger Drum and Bugle
Corps, boy and cub scout troops, little league baseball teams, and an
explorer post; and
WHEREAS, Each day, the brave members of the Lakeside Volunteer Fire
Department prepare to risk their lives, in order to protect the life and
property of those living within the community; currently the fire
department has 48 members on its roster; and
WHEREAS, The State of New York cannot express sufficient gratitude to
all those trained and devoted individuals who serve and protect their
communities through fire departments across the State, and enough cannot
be said about the important role a volunteer fire department plays in
the community; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
commemorate the 65th Anniversary of the Lakeside Volunteer Fire Depart-
ment; and be it further
RESOLVED, That copies of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be tran-
smitted to Chief Michael Kolakowski, and the Lakeside Volunteer Fire
Department.