Like many rural New Hampshire towns, firefighting in Grafton can be traced back to a forest fire department run by a fire warden prior to a traditional structure-based department forming. Building fires were primarily fought by the Canaan Fire Department until 1949, when the Grafton Volunteer Fire Department was established. The first equipment the department owned, a portable pump and hose brought to scenes on a trailer, was located at the town’s hearse house, next to the Grafton Inn on Main Street. Soon after the department was formed, members acquired a 1946 Ford truck and built it into a pumper with 350 GPM pump and either 300 or 500 gallon tank. It was assigned to Engine 1.

Due to road construction in the area in the early 1950s, the hearse house was torn down and the department built a two-bay station at the corner of Main Street and Library Road. For the majority of the 1950s the department operated with its single Ford, but in 1959 it obtained a 1934 Reo engine with 600 gallon tank from Bristol. Four years later in 1963, it obtained a 1942 Chevrolet pumper from the state; it had a 500 gallon tank and replaced the Ford as Engine 1.

In 1970, the department reorganized itself and underwent significant growth. In 1971 a brand-new Chevrolet/Moody pumper with 500 GPM pump and 750 gallon tank was purchased and put into service as Engine 1. The following year it was given a 1952 GMC tanker truck with 1000 gallon tank from the Civil Defense Department, which was assigned to Tanker 1. That same year the town started planning out ambulance service for residents, established the Grafton FAST Squad. While members underwent training, an addition was built onto the fire station in 1973, and in 1975 the department obtained a 1964 Pontiac ambulance that had originally served the US Navy; it was labeled Ambulance 1. This was short-lived, however, as a new Chevrolet ambulance was purchased to replace it in 1977.

Grafton joined the Upper Valley Mutual Aid Association in 1976, and in 1979 established a mutual aid system for EMS with the Enfield and Canaan FAST squads, in which each town could rely upon the others if their ambulance could not respond. In 1980, the department started being dispatched by Hanover; prior to this, the town postmaster (and wife of an ex-chief of the department) dispatched the department.

In 1981, the department replaced its GMC tanker with a 1976 Ford with a 350 GPM pump and 2000 gallon tank. In 1985, the department added a 1976 Ford/Farrar with 750 GPM pump and 750 gallon tank to the roster, assigned to Engine 2. It had previously served the Needham, MA Fire Department.

Space at the station was tight with three fire apparatus and one ambulance sharing the two bays. In addition to this, there was no parking on the property and members resorted to parking on the adjacent private lot when responding to calls. In 1990 the town bought that abutting property when it foreclosed, and constructed a new, three-bay station with a parking lot in 1993.

In 1994, the ambulance contingent became a separate town department, leaving Grafton Fire Department to focus solely on fire suppression and rescue.

In 1999, the department put a new Dingee tank onto Engine 2, and purchased a brand-new Freightliner/E-One pumper in 2002 as a replacement. The new unit had a 1250 GPM pump and 1000 gallon tank. The Ford that had been replaced was relettered Tanker 2. In 2004, the 1976 Fords of Tanker 1 and Tanker 2 were both replaced with the delivery of a Freightliner/E-One with 500 GPM pump and 3000 gallon tank.

The department purchased its first rescue apparatus in 2007, a Ford/KME assigned to Rescue 1. It added an inflatable rescue craft in 2009 for use in water and ice rescues, and in 2010 Engine 1’s 1971 Chevrolet was put out of service with no replacement.

The next new piece of apparatus for the department wasn’t gained until 2019, when it took ownership of a 1967 Jeep Kaiser that had previously served Canaan; it was assigned to Forestry 1. In 2022, the department returned the Jeep to the state. In 2023, the department was given an unknown-year Ford Police Interceptor Utility from the police department. And in 2024, it obtained a 1988 Chevrolet/Phoenix with 350 GPM pump and 500 gallon tank. This unit had originally served in the United States Forest Service, and then had stints with the New Hampshire Division of Forests and Lands as well as the Stark Fire Department. It was labeled as Forestry 1.

Grafton NH Fire Department website
Grafton, NH Volunteer Fire Department Facebook page

Much of this history relies on town records, fire buff websites, and community memory. If you have photos, documents, or personal recollections related to the Grafton Fire Department—especially from prior to 2000—we’d be grateful to hear from you. Please feel free to email nhfirehistory (at) gmail (dot) com with any information you’d like to share.