When the Franklin Fire Company was formed in 1903 it responded to fires with hand-drawn equipment or with a Ford chassis that accommodated a hose wagon. Needless to say, they've grown since then. The company's firehouse garage now has six bays that are two deep to accommodate its nine pieces of equipment, making it the largest in Franklin County. The trucks see plenty of use. Last year the company responded to 920 incidents and has responded to 453 through June of this year.

The fire company also has a lot of territory to cover. They are the first due responders on incidents as far east as Lowe's on U.S. 30 and as far south as Loop Road and as far north as Greenvillage and as far west as Gilbert Road in Hamilton Township. The department keeps on top of the territory with large binders, called run books, that have every street in every part of their area documented. At least once a year volunteers will go out with the books and update any new homes or roads that have been built. "We have streets in here that there aren't any houses on yet," said fire chief Mark Trace.

Not only does the department respond, but they do so with a respectable turnout of volunteers. Trace said that the department is averaging 10 people responding per incident. But with a company as big as this, both in size and in territory, there is always a need for more volunteers to respond to fire calls as well as work on fund raising. "We need younger members who want to volunteer and continue the tradition that was set for us," Trace said.

Profile: Franklin Fire Company

Address/phone: 158 W. King St.; 263-8600

Geographic territory: As far north as Greenvillage, as far east as Lowe's on U.S. 30, as far south as Loop Road and as far west as Gilbert Road in Hamilton Township.

Officers: Fire Chief Mark Trace, Deputy Chief Steven Himes; Assistant Fire chiefs, Kevin Carmack and Jeremy Rebok; Captain, Shawn Corwell; Lieutenant, Craig Schellhase; Rescue Sergeant, Bill Greenlaw; Medical Sergeant, Jason Kuehler.

Number of members: 75 members running calls and about 150 active members. Anyone over 14 years old can join and training is provided by the fire department. Volunteers are also needed to help with bingo and fund raising.

Training: Volunteers must pass training mandated by the state and by the Franklin Fire Company. Members must know every piece of equipment on a vehicle and how to use it.

Equipment: Two fire chief vehicles: 2002 and 2006 Ford Explorers; utility truck: 2002 Ford F-350 crew cab; special unit: 2007 Ford F-550; two 2004 E-ONE pumper engines; squad: 2002 KME Excel rescue; ladder truck: 1995 Simon Duplex LTI 104-foot rear-mount aerial; 2002 safety house trailer.

History: The Franklin Fire Company was formed on Dec. 8, 1903, two weeks after the Hope Hose Company was disbanded by Chambersburg town council for insubordination.

Immediately after the Hope Company was disbanded, a meeting was held at the law offices of Thomas Z. Minehart to discuss starting a new fire company. A petition was presented to town council, which they approved, and Minehart was elected president of the company.

Council built a firehouse for the new department on Franklin Street, which was dedicated on Feb. 7, 1905. Fire equipment was drawn by hand until council provided the Ford chassis. The department purchased its first modern fire truck, a new American LaFrance pumper truck, in 1925. The company also purchased the first tanker truck to be placed in service in Franklin County in 1949. The GMC could carry 1,000 gallons of water.

Through the 1950s and early 1960s, the department continued to add to its fleet. In 1968, the firehouse was expanded with two new bays for equipment. The department purchased homes and the Franklin Street Elementary School around the building in the late 1970s to expand parking and also use as storage.

Construction started in 1980 on a new $500,000 building expansion that would house offices, a new social hall and bunk room. The building was again expanded to its current configuration in 1997 to accommodate all of the department's apparatus. The department's original fire engine, the 1925 American LaFrance, is on display at the main entrance of the building.

Fund raising: The biggest fund-raiser the company is the Gun Bash, which will be held Sept. 22 at the Path Valley Picnic Grounds. The company, in conjunction with the Fannett-Metal Fire and Ambulance and M &S Harley Davidson, will be giving away $35,000 in cash and prizes. Cost of tickets is $10 and you must be 21 to enter. The gates open at 10 a.m.

The Franklin Fire Company also holds bingo nights on Wednesday, Saturday and two Sundays a month at the fire hall. "That's our biggest money maker," Trace said.

Auxiliary: The auxiliary was disbanded several years ago. At one point, the auxiliary played a big role in the department and raised money to purchase a utility truck.

Stats: Responded to 920 incidents in 2006 and have responded to 453 incidents through June 30 of this year.