By Tara Fischer

Staff Writer

(Oct. 23, 2025) The Berlin Fire Company invites the public to an open house this weekend, where the crew will have new and old apparatuses on display and fire prevention material available.

A ceremony will also be held to retire an outdated engine and replace it with a much-needed upgrade.

David Fitzgerald, president of the Berlin Fire Company, said that the department will welcome town residents to its headquarters at 214 North Main Street from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 26. The fire group will have on display its antique engine, the 1924 Mack Engine 601; the newest engine, a 2025 Pierce Engine 6; and its old 1988 Mack Engine 607.

For the first time, the department will also hold a “housing ceremony” to retire its outdated apparatus. According to Fitzgerald, to officially let go of the 1988 engine and replace it with the 2025 engine that the BFC received just last month, one of the oldest living former chiefs will be present to help facilitate “pushing out” the outdated device, while another previous chief will simulate driving the new one into the department.

The fire president added that this type of ceremony will be the first-ever performed by the BFC, as it’s not a typical practice on the Eastern Shore. However, he noted that the tradition is popular in places like Pennsylvania and New Jersey.

A member of the Berlin department suggested hosting the housing ceremony, and the fellow firefighters thought it would be a good way to give the public a look at the new and expensive apparatus, which Fitzgerald said cost about $977,000.

“That’s for the engine with no equipment, that’s just the engine,” he maintained.

The housing ceremony will kick off at noon.

“It’s an opportunity [for the public] to see what this apparatus costs,” Fitzgerald said.

“When they see us ask for donations, or they hear us asking for more government funds, whether that’s county or town taxpayer funds, that’s why we’re asking. These apparatuses are not cheap. We’re replacing something from 1988. That’s how long we’re keeping the apparatuses, which is much longer than we should. We want the public to see the difference between the new and the old, what the safety features are, and what technology has been brought up from 1988 to 2025.”

The fire president added that, since the company is mainly made up of volunteers, this open house is a way to inform the public about the hard work their fellow citizens put into keeping the community safe.

“It also provides an opportunity to see what the volunteers do,” Fitzgerald said. “People don’t realize that with fire and rescue, the 55 volunteers that are giving their time, it saves the taxpayer money in that you don’t have to employ people for full-time fire crews.”

Also at the open house will be fire prevention materials, particularly prompting the public to regularly check that their smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors are operating as they should. Members of the fire company will be on-site for any residents who may have questions.

Furthermore, Fitzgerald said that handouts appealing to children, such as coloring books, will be available for kids to take home so they can help inform their families about fire prevention and protection strategies.

Berlin residents are encouraged to make their way to the fire company’s open house this weekend. Organizers hope to welcome as many members of the public as possible.

“It looks like good weather, plus it’s the last week of the farmers market on Sunday, and usually our parking lot is full from farmers market participants, so we’re hoping between the farmers market and the ceremony, we’ll have a good turnout,” Fitzgerald said.