THE COMPANY HISTORIAN OF NEPTUNE HOSE CO. NO. 1 in Long Branch, New Jersey, has plenty to smile about these days.
The fire company was founded in 1877 and badge #6 was issued to James Bart “Bartie” Flinn who later went on to become the Fire Chief of the Long Branch Fire Department. Bartie was one of those memorable characters who has been revered down through the years because of his dedication and contributions to the department.
But his original badge hadn’t been seen since the late 1880′s and was long thought to be gone forever. That is until somebody started rummaging through some boxes of old stuff piled away in a storage room in FD headquarters and found a box of dusty old buttons. Amongst the pile was the old badge #6 and he knew right away what he had found.
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Recently a ceremony was held as Bartie’s badge was returned to the Neptune Hose fire station where it will be displayed in a new artifact display room.
Read the full story about Chief “Bartie” and how his badge was found in the Asbury Park Press HERE.
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