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In the early part of the 20th century, Lake Mohegan was the place to be for live bands and Broadway entertainment outside of New York City. The many clubs and hotels attracted big name performers, and the summer crowds swelled with visitors from all over the region. Prior to 1922, fires were fought by the Peekskill Fire Companies or the Yorktown Heights Engine Co. However, their effectiveness in being able to reach a fire in time to save lives and property was limited, given the road conditions and equipment at the time, along with the overwhelming growth of the Mohegan Lake community.
On February 21, 1922 a group of local citizens met in the little Mohegan Schoolhouse on the top of Barmore Hill (now the Rugged Boot on East Main St/Rt. 6) for the purpose of organizing a fire department. This meeting was organized after a fire in one of the Mohegan hotels. The following 27 men are believed to have been in attendance at that important meeting: Theodore Hill, Jr., H. Field Horne, Arthur Horton, J.W. Horne, William O'Neill, James Gilmartin, John Wubbe, James Cuatt, Bernard McCord, Addison Garland, Albert Heady, David Travis, Everett Travis, Albert Travis, George Jetter, J. Edward Jetter, Olie Odell, Robert Foell, William Foell, Herman Croft, Christopher Jetter, William Zugner, Cleveland Curry, and Roy Heady. The first firehouse was located in a barn in the rear of the Jetter Estate at Lexington Ave and Strawberry Rd. The following positions were created: Louis Zugner elected Chief, J. Edward Jetter, Jr elected Jr. Battalion Chief, Christian Jetter elected Chief of External Communications. George G. Jetter was elected the first President, Edward Percy as Vice President, Morris Kramer elected 2nd Vice President, George T. Pratt was appointed treasurer, and Robert Reynolds elected Financial Secretary and Albert Foell as Corresponding Secretary.
The Mohegan Volunteer Fire Association (MVFA) served the northern and western sections of Yorktown, as well as far South as the Village of Croton border of Cortlandt, along with the Town of Putnam Valley (Putnam County). Although such a vast area, the area was largely open land and farm land, with population being minimal. The typical fires in the area north and west of the hamlet of Mohegan Lake were brush fires. Our membership was utilized from all three towns as well. The first fire truck was a 1922 chain driven American La France. The American La France fire truck was the sleekest piece of apparatus money could buy and they bought it for $2,000 on credit. The first fire truck arrived on July 3, 1922. After the firemen and their wives held fairs, potluck suppers, carnivals and minstrel shows, they owned the truck free and clear. Following the second annual fair in 1923, the fire company equipped a Model T Ford as an ambulance, and served the surrounding communities with a much needed and often utilized medical service. In 1923, a separate lot was formed out of the seven-acre parcel owned by Albert Travis, next to Travis' stone garage on East Main Street (Route 6). This was donated to the Fire Association and by 1927 a new Headquarters was built on the site. The original section of the building as it now stands, was built from bricks that were taken apart one at a time from the old Park Street School in Peekskill and re-assembled on East Main Street. The volunteers chipped off the old brick, cleaned off the cement, and erected the new firehouse. In 1933, at the first meeting of the newly formed Lake Mohegan Fire District, H. Field Horne was chosen chairman, Douglas Rockett secretary, Robert W. Archer inspector, and Louis Wolsky clerk. District elections were held on December 22, 1933 to elect five fire commissioners and a treasurer. The five commissioners elected were Dr. Hyman Millman, Theo Austin, Jr., W.M. Tompkins, August Langer and Bernard McCord. J.W. Horne was elected Treasurer. The Westchester County and Putnam County Boards of Supervisors approved the formation of the district. A bill, dated February 7, 1934, was presented to and passed by, the State Assembly and Senate. However, it needed more work before the Governor would sign it. After meeting the necessary requirements, the Joint District was approved and legalized on May 12, 1934. The ambulance service, known as the Ambulance Committee, was not part of the new Joint District agreement and it was still controlled under the MVFA. The fire chief was responsible for the ambulance until 1937, when the Ambulance Committee was set up under the chairmanship of Lloyd Blythe, Sr. During this period of change, it is believed that a few of the volunteers were hired to earn money when fires happened, to help them earn money due to job losses because of the Great Depression. This was a way for the Mohegan Volunteer Fire Association to look out for the best interest of its members. From this time forward, we continued to have career staff with today's career staff of approximately 35 firefighters.
 Serving such a large geographic area within Cortlandt, Yorktown, and Putnam Valley placed a strain on resources. During depression years of the 1930's, a pair of hearses from a local funeral parlor was drafted for ambulance duty, as the model T. Ford was retired. In 1933, the membership voted to become a Joint Fire District, which if accepted by the voters of all three towns, would provide tax revenues for financial support. This idea presented new challenges since town and state law, up until that time, had only addressed districts situated within a single town. A special committee, headed by Theodore Hill Jr., was formed to hold a public hearing at the firehouse with local residents. The hearing was held on November 16, 1933. With no opposition, the committee filed its report on November 20th, stating, "Your Committee therefore, respectfully recommends that the said petition be granted; that the order establishing a fire district at Lake Mohegan, Westchester County, New York be adopted." Signing this were Theodore Hill, Jr., Thomas C. Gardner and George Turner.
On November 10, 1942, Supervisors and Councilmen of the towns of Cortlandt, Yorktown and Putnam Valley, met on the matter of enlarging the Lake Mohegan Fire District. In attendance from Cortlandt were Ellsworth R. Johnson, Supervisor, and Councilmen H. Stanton Reynolds, Martin J. McAndrews, and George Miller, Counsel Robert E. Dempsey, and Clerk James H. Ferris. From Yorktown were Supervisor John H. Downing, Councilmen Jacob Maurer, Burton Flewwellin and Howard Smith, Counsel Louis Wolsey and Clerk H. Stevenson Wyand. From Putnam Valley were Supervisor Harry Silleck, Councilmen Wilbur Singer, Clement Gorley, John White, Counsel Israel Ben Schreiber, and Clerk Mrs. Elsin Watson. The area to be enlarged lay in Cortlandt, and was approved.
From 1943 until 1946 the district paid for rental of a siren, which is believed to have been located on top of the water tower located on the former Jetter property (later Franciscan High School) on Lexington Ave. This was also used by civil defense throughout World War II. In 1951, the district petitioned the Town Supervisor of Yorktown, John Downing, to erect a pole near the Pump House at Shrub Oak for a permanent location of their siren. Sirens were also located and used up until the 1990's in locations like Headquarters, E. Main St and Hill Blvd (JV Bowling Alley), and Rt. 202 and Locust Ave. These 3 sirens are still erected today, though not in use. The siren at Headquarters continues to sound every day at 12 noon as part of tradition.
On December 10, 1944, the Mohegan Volunteer Fire Association lost 31st Armored Division Sgt. Curtis Riker Darragh during World War II. Our member gave his life for our Country and in 1950 the MVFA dedicated a bronze plaque, which still stands at Headquarters fror his ultimate sacrifice. Curtis Darragh was also part of the MVFA Band, which was an affiliation of our Fire Company.
In 1947, the Town of Putnam Valley decided to withdraw from the Lake Mohegan Fire District, and formed their own Fire Protection District with the formation of the Putnam Valley FD. A new district map was drawn in December 1951 to reflect the new boundaries. From 1948 until 1959, the Town of Putnam Valley paid the Lake Mohegan Fire District $2800 for out of district services for our services covering the Lake Peekskill section of the town. In 1959, the Putnam Valley FD took over fire protection for the entire Town of Putnam Valley.
Ever since Albert Travis donated the first parcel of land for a firehouse, the Travis family has been deeply involved in the fire company. The Travis brothers' garage serviced the fire trucks and ambulances next door until 1959, when they moved their business to the corner of Route 6 and Lexington Ave.
A survey performed in 1963 by the New York Fire Insurance Rating Organization recommended, at that time, that substations should be built in the east, west and south of the district. A special election was held on March 31, 1971 to vote on whether the district should build two new substations at a cost of $701,942, which would be funded through the issuance of short-term bonds. The measure passed, 265 to 92, and two new stations were built. The substation were built in Cortlandt located on Croton Ave, near Walter Panas High School and one in Jefferson Valley located on Lee Blvd at Hill Blvd, near the later built Jefferson Valley Mall. During the mid-1960's, the firehouse on Route 6 underwent expansion as well. A larger apparatus bay was constructed, which could house 3 apparatus. This was built onto the side of the firehouse, inplace of a small bay that was added in earlier days to house the ambulance.
The Ambulance Committee continued to run until the early 1980's, when the name was changed to the MVFA Rescue Squad.
As time continued, the increase in population and the effectiveness in reducing response times to emergencies caused the Lake Mohegan Fire District to open a fourth fire station in 1994 on Oregon Rd in the area of Westbrook Dr. Also, Fire Headquarters on Route 6 underwent further expansion in the late 1990's. In 1998, 3 new ambulance bays were constructed, on the side of the existing firehouse to house today's larger ambulances.
 The Rescue Squad continued to raise money privately and through donations until the late 1990's, when it incorporated the name Mohegan Volunteer Fire Association Volunteer Ambulance Corps, Inc. in 1999. This move enabled the MVFA-VAC to bill individual's insurance companies for their service and become self-sustaining. Today, the emergency medical service provided to the community by the MVFA-VAC continues with the volunteers of the Mohegan Volunteer Fire Association only, as started in 1923, with the first ambulance.
Over the years, the volunteers fought many fires, but some stand out in memory. The following were mentioned by some of the old time "smoke eaters": Carmel Court House; the Peekskill Foundry; the Mohegan Inn in the 1930's, which used water from Mohegan Lake to fight the fire; the Union Stoveworks; the Old Forest House in 1938, when zero degree temperatures froze the lake and sparks bounced off the ice; The 3-story chicken house on Bank St. in Jefferson Valley, which Dr. Hyman Millman recalled "We had roast chicken that day."
Other fires which made headlines were: the Duratech Manufacturing Corporation (boat factory) in Cortlandt in 1961; the Ca. 1900 Putnam Valley Grange Hall on Mill Street in 1972; Arlo Industries in Cortlandt in 1977; Dain's Lumber in Peekskill in 1978; the abandoned Strawberry Manor; The abandoned Copper Beech Bungalow Colony, in 1978; and the Peekskill Dude Ranch, off Furnace Woods Rd. in Cortlandt.
On that fateful day, September 11, 2001, tragedy struck New York City, Washigton DC, and the nation. Mohegan helped in any way they could! From operating a drop off site out of the Mohegan Fire Headquarters where the original apparatus bays were completely filled with donated supplies of food, clothing, and equipment for relief for workers at Ground Zero. Mohegan also assisted FDNY at fire scenes with Eng. 258 providing manpower and station coverage at FDNY's Engine 88/Ladder 38 quarter's in the Bronx. Mohegan Engine 258 and Ambulance 69B3 also responded with manpower to Ground Zero, and helped directly in the rescue efforts, with crews assisting for the following days. Mohegan has never been short on its desire to help its neighbors and the community no matter the type of emergency. We respond 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and strive to provide the best Fire and Emergency Medical Services to the residence of the Lake Mohegan Fire District, which today covers 42 square miles.
Throughout the years, members have come and gone (200 active members, with a waiting list during the dept's prime in the 1950's and 1960's) we would be remise to ever forget the Ultimate Sacrafice that 3 of our firefighetsr have made in the Line of Duty:
1) Firefighter/Fire Company President Donald Ambler- Died on March 24, 1955 while responding to a stucture fire on Locust Ave. Being the 13th President of the Mohegan Volunteer Fire Association at the time of his death, he was very active in the department.
2) Firefighter Raymond Cauxx- Died April 19, 1963 at a vehicle fire and was a member of the Fire-Police unit.
3) Firefighter/Ex President Richard E. Gleason- Died July 9, 1993 at a brush fire at Rt. 6 and the Taconic State Parkway. Being a 25 year active life member, he was also the department's 28th President.
With this historic background, there are approximately 100 volunteer firefighters that make up today's Mohegan Volunteer Fire Association with 6 Rescue-Engines, 2 Aerial Ladders, 1 Light Duty Rescue, 3 Utility Vehicles, 3 Chiefs Vehicles, 1 Fire-Police Vehicle, and 1 Small Rescue Boat. The MVFA-VAC operates 3 Ambulances, 1 BLS/Officer Utility, and Injury Prevention Trailer. The MVFA utilizes 1 pick-up truck to tow the 2 Fire Prevention Trailers.
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