LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION commemorating the 70th Anniversary of the Yulan
Fire Department

WHEREAS, This Legislative Body is proud to commemorate the 70th Anniver-
sary of the Yulan Fire Department and to honor its past and present
firefighting members for 70 years of fire protection to the citizens of
Yulan, New York and its surrounding communities; and
WHEREAS, Fire departments are an integral part of community protection
services in every locality of our State; during the past 70 years, the
courageous and devoted firefighters of the Yulan Fire Department have
valiantly responded to all types of fire emergencies and have won the
praise and respect of the community which they serve; and
WHEREAS, The first organized meeting, incorporation and designation of
officers occurred in 1947, but the Yulan Fire Department actually began
in late 1946; a young man from West Hempstead Long Island Fire Depart-
ment, Joe Wulforst, was vacationing in Yulan and began talking with
locals about the formation of a volunteer fire company; and
WHEREAS, Until this point, fire protection and rescue coverage had
been provided by neighboring towns of Shohola and Narrowsburg with
support coming from as far away as Sparrowbush; and
WHEREAS, In December of 1946, Joe Wulforst brought a 1927 Seagrave
pumper up to Yulan from West Hempstead, during which time three founding
fathers paid for the truck which was housed in Lou Hensel's garage; Lou
went on to become Yulan Fire Department's first Chief; and
WHEREAS, With the purchase of a truck, an official fire house was now
in order, in March of 1948 land was purchased and two years later the
first building of the Yulan Fire Department was complete; and
WHEREAS, A satellite station, built with donations of material and
labor was erected in Eldred on town owned property in 1952; the building
was to be shared with the American Legion Ambulance Corp.; a second
satellite station was completed in 1955, in Barryville on land donated
by Arthur Rohman; and
WHEREAS, Yulan Fire Department purchased its first "new" truck in
1957, a Chevrolet commercial truck chassis on which the members
installed a 1,200 gallon tank and portable pump; prior to this purchase,
all of the Department's trucks had been second hand; and
WHEREAS; The Department entered the age of electronics and dispatching
with the purchase of Home Alerting Plectrons in 1974, and a single emer-
gency number was in use for the Town of Highland; and
WHEREAS, Efforts by the Town of Highland to build a new Emergency
Services building in Eldred came to fruition in 1989, when a new and
much larger building was completed and shared by the Yulan Fire Depart-
ment and the American Legion Ambulance Service; this cohabitation lasted
until 2004, when the American Legion built their own base of operations;
and
WHEREAS, Today, the Yulan Fire Department shares the Emergency
Services building with the Sullivan County Sheriff's Department; and
WHEREAS, With a membership of dedicated firefighters, the record of
the Yulan Fire Department in public service and fire protection is one
to be envied; for 24 hours a day, for 365 days a year, for 70 years,
whenever the alarm sounded, these noble volunteers left their homes and
went to the aid of their neighbors; and
WHEREAS, The brave firefighters of the Yulan Fire Department are
prepared to risk their lives every day to help save the lives of others
and to protect homes and property from the destruction caused by fire;
and

WHEREAS, In addition to the skill and devoted service demonstrated by
individual firefighters, the Yulan Fire Department reflects the history
and development of firefighting over the past 70 years; and
WHEREAS, This Legislative Body cannot express sufficient gratitude to
those devoted individuals who recognize that the preservation of life
and property is a sacred responsibility and who make that responsibility
their own by serving as firefighters; and
WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body that we should give
special recognition to those who work so assiduously for the betterment
of their communities, and acknowledge publicly the heroic good works
performed by the volunteer fire departments of this great Empire State,
their officers and auxiliaries; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
proudly commemorate the 70th Anniversary of the Yulan Fire Department;
and be it further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be tran-
smitted to the Yulan Fire Department.