Early in the spring of 1858, a group of young men felt the rapid growth of the Village of Port Chester necessitated the formation of a hook and ladder company. A temporary organization was formed and after many meetings, these men started a campaign to raise funds to purchase a ladder truck and other equipement necessary to fight fires.A handwritten document dated September 20,1858, lists one hundred names of individuals and the amount of money they subscribed to "purchasehooks, ladders andother implements necessary to form a hook and ladder company".
After collecting a total of $145.00, the next task for these young men was to find the equipement that they needed. The second name that appears on the subscription list is that of DavidM. Lyon who at the time was personally aquainted with Harry Howard, then Chief Engineer of the New York Fire Department. Negotiations were entered into with the famed Chief Engineer to purchase a surplus New York Fire Department ladder truck. For the sum of $90.00 , Harry Howard sold these men a hand drawn ladder truck and generously included a large platform ladder, hooks, poles and other pieces of equipement to start a fire company.
On October 8,1858, on organizational meeting was held at which time ten men were listed as being elected the first members of the truck company. The first official meeting of the Harry Howard Hook and Ladder company took place five days later on October 13,1858. It was at this meeting that the next eight men were elected to the company. The name of the company was also decided upon. Due to the generosity and guidance shown to the men by Chief Harry Howard, they felt it would be an honor and priviledge to the name the new fire company after this illustrious volunteer fire fighter.
Harry Howard Hook & Ladder Co. No.1 currently has 2 trucks. A 1972 85 ft. Sutphen Arial Tower and a 1981 100ft. straight Seagrave with a tiller.