When the Town of Kensington was incorporated in 1894 it was completely unprepared for fire and 30+ years from having an established fire department. Without a water system and limited availability of extinguishment devices, in cases of fire, residents would simply ring a church bell and salvage as much as possible.
The town was lucky to have few significant fires, and most were centered around the railroad. However in 1899, disaster struck at the original Town Hall which sparked a call for action. Residents held a meeting at Noyes Library and began organizing a fire company. 22 men enrolled in the Kensington Fire Company.
While the new company made significant progress–establishing a fire house with elected chiefs, installing extinguishers around town, creating a system for fire calls–disaster continued to strike and the town was still very much in-need of a more sophisticated fire department.
The Kensington Volunteer Fire Department was finally established and incorporated in 2025. The Kensington Historical Society recently hosted a presentation, led by Juan Bofill (Chair of the KVFD Historical Committee), on the history of fire service in Kensington leading up to this historical milestone.
Watch to get the full story, and join us in congratulating the KVFD on 100 years of service!
