Germantown Volunteer Fire Department

The Germantown Volunteer Fire Department, Inc. was placed into service on October 1, 1989 after separating from the Hyattstown Volunteer Fire Department, Inc.

Members began the process by creating the Germantown Volunteer Fire Association as the first step towards incorporating. The first meeting of the Association was held on June 22, 1989 and the following personnel were elected as the first Board of Directors:
Kevin T. Finnin
Joseph S. Chornock
James R. Barto
Michael P. Dmuchowski
Ruth A. Stark
Rodney Pile
Chad A. Eastman

Germantown Attorney James Hyatt donated his time to assist with getting the Department incorporated.

On August 20, 1989 an organizational meeting was held. This was the first meeting after the incorporation was approved. At this meeting officers of the newly created fire department were elected.

The first Board of Directors consisted of:
Kevin T. Finnin, President
James R. Barto, Vice-President
JoAnne M. Finnin, Secretary
David M. Best, Recording Secretary
Jeanne P. Barto, Treasurer
Paul Messner, Raymond L. Hartzell, and Rodney Pile, Members-at-Large
Joseph S. Chornock, Delegate to the Montgomery County Fire Board
Matthew C. Kenworthy, Alternate to the Montgomery County Fire Board

Michael A. May was elected as Fire/Rescue Chief and Michael P. Dmuchowski was elected as Assistant Fire/Rescue Chief. The Chief's positions would not take effect until October 1, 1989.

The first members of the Germantown Volunteer Fire Department, Inc. included: Richard J. Atwell
John A. Babyak
Jeanne P. Barto
James R. Barto
James Carey Beall
William J. Beard
Douglas Bennett
David M. Best
Andrew L. Bluestein
Francis W. Boegel Jr.
Mark Brodeur
Coleman P. Brown
Joseph S. Chornock
Michael DeCarlo
Michael P. Dmuchowski
Chad A. Eastman
James Ferguson
Kevin T. Finnin
JoAnne M. Finnin
Brian E. Hagberg
Raymond L. Hartzell
Cheryl Hopko
T.J. Irwin Jr.
Frank E. Jacob
Darah Kehnemuyi
Matthew C. Kenworthy
Margie Landlot
David L. Litz
Gregory L. Litz
Frances R. "Becky" May
Michael A. May
Donna McThenia
Charles H. Meiselman
Paul Messner
Roland L. Moore
John Mumma
Troy D. Nolan
Rodney Pile
Barbara A. Proctor
Steven F. Proctor
Barry C. Reid
Barbara A. Reid
Lynn Russell
L. Scott Sadler
Vicki Sampieri
William G. Snow
Ruth A. Stark
Wanda Lee Tolley
Wendy Whisman
Brian Joseph Withrow

On August 25, 1989, the Charter members of the Department took up a collection to open the volunteer bank account and from these contributions $835.00 was deposited into the account. On September 12, 1989 the volunteer bank account had a balance of $860.00. On June 1, 1990, we began receiving donations from our first annual fund drive. As of October 1990, we had received over 600 donations totaling over $15,000.00.

The station is located at 20001 Crystal Rock Drive, Germantown, MD. The original building was opened on January 7, 1981, as a sub-station to the Hyattstown Volunteer Fire Department, Inc. The building and land is owned by the Montgomery County Government. There was a brush truck, ambulance, and two pumpers. The Station had two drive thru bays and a bunk room with ten beds. In 1988, an addition was started to add an additional bay, enlarged kitchen, and a larger bunkroom with twenty bunks to name a few of the many enhancements.

Today, there are two pumpers, a rescue squad, two ambulance, one medic unit, a boat and boat support unit and four support vehicles.