Fire Company front and center at parade
July Fourth is always a big day in fire departments and none more so than this year for the volunteers at Broomall Fire Company as they will serve as grand marshals for the Marple Newtown July 4th Parade.
The Marple Newtown parade has been a centerpiece of July 4th in Delaware County since 1984 and is one of the larger parades in the area. It features plenty of bands, antique cars and of course, children on their decorated bicycles.
The fire company, along with neighboring Newtown Square has always been involved in the parade, but this year its members are putting extra attention into making sure their red trucks shine bright. The entire fire company will be joining in the parade wearing full dress uniforms.
Michael Gardane, chairperson of the Broomall Fire Company’s 100th Anniversary Committee called it an honor to take part as Grand Marshal. He has been involved at Broomall for over 30 years.
Gardane will be part of the honor guard that will march the 2 miles from St. Albans Circle to Broomall Fire Company.
The honor guard will include the 100th anniversary flag that has been flying over the station all year, the American and Pennsylvania flags, two axe handlers and a unit commander who will call the cadence.
The fire company was formed Jan. 8, 1923, when Marple Township was a rural community of farmers and tradesmen. It was centered in the small community of
Broomall, located along West Chester Pike and Sproul Road. The town was served by a trolley line running between Upper Darby and West Chester.
The fire company was originally located on West Chester Pike near Sproul Road in a station built by the 60 members themselves. In 1957 it moved to a new station on Malin road and finally into a new $7 million station across the street in 2019.
“I along with my team, who could not be a better group of people, undertook
this endeavor on July Fourth of 2018. That was the day we were given the word ‘go’ to make this milestone year a reality,” Gardane said. “It’s been a lot of work and sacrifice, but it has been worth all the while.”
Members of the 100th Anniversary Committee include Chairman Michael J Gardane, Co-chairman Timothy Capuzzi. James Bradley, William Maguire, Pete Placido, Karen Standen, William Duranti, Matthew Murray and Thomas J Murray Jr.