The monument, in front of the fire department’s museum at its West Main Street headquarters, is centered around an engraved bell. It features storyboards about the history and heritage of the department and includes a flagpole that was at the former headquarters on Church Street.

Kurt Maytum stated that fellow former chief Ted Blynt and his wife gifted money for the monument when they passed away. The Blynts had no local children or family and left all their money to the Fredonia Fire Department and the Barker Library, Maytum said.

“We’ve been working on this project for 15-plus years,” Maytum said.

“It took different forms over the years and this is what we ended up with,” said another prominent member of the department, Julius Leone.

This bell is the centerpiece of a new display honoring the Fredonia Fire Department.

The monument was physically started last summer. Northland Concrete put in the concrete and Fadale Enterprises installed pavers.

“The storyboards were the longest piece,” Leone said. “It took a long time to develop… it displays our history.” He said it was especially hard deciding which of the department’s numerous historic photos to use.

“If you walk around the center (of the monument area) you can see our entire history through storyboards,” Maytum said.

The Cooper Sign Co. from Niagara County designed and constructed the boards and their stands. Leone credited the company’s Jennifer Cooper. “She would send us big sheets of things and we would make changes,” he said.

It took a year between ordering the bell and its delivery, Leone said. It was rung for the first time at the dedication ceremony after getting blessed by fire department chaplain Bob Hayward. Firefighters rang the bell in three sets of three peals, which signifies “firefighters have returned to station and are in service.”

OBSERVER Photo by M.J. Stafford A view of one of the informational signboards at the new monument honoring the Fredonia Fire Department. Sparky the firefighting dog stands watch.

The bell was mounted on a concrete base that used to hold the flagpole at the Church Street station, and got moved along with the pole when the department transferred to its West Main Street building in the late 1970s.

The flagpole is now mounted separately and has its own bell on top, which was also from the Church Street station. DFT provided flagpole lighting and Joe Seminaro refinished the bell.

“It’s a tribute to anybody who’s participated in the fire department, or will serve. It’s not focused on anybody,” Leone said of the entire monument display. “We were careful to make sure a single person didn’t stand out — other than the Blynts (who are honored on a plaque).”

“There was a committee that worked diligently to get everything done,” Maytum said. “It’s kind of tough to mention anybody because you might leave someone out.”

Leone said he has already noticed that the monument draws former Fredonia firefighters who have moved away, but are returning to the area for a visit.

An overall view of the new monument honoring the Fredonia Fire Department.

“It’s neat to jog their memories,” he said.