Owego Hose Teams secure major funding for Baker Fireman’s Fountain Restoration; announces Inaugural Memorial Golf Tournament

The Owego Hose Teams, Inc. has secured a $20,000 grant from the Mildred Faulkner Truman Foundation for the restoration of the Baker Fireman’s Fountain located in the heart of the Village of Owego’s Courthouse Square.  

The 103-year-old fountain was given to the Village of Owego and its firefighters in 1914 by Frank M. Baker as a memorial to his son, George Hobart Baker, who was killed in an automobile accident in 1913.  Both men had been members and chief engineers of the Owego Fire Department. The fountain was last restored in 2000 and has again fallen into disrepair.  

“The Owego Hose Teams are known for their firematic racing prowess throughout New York State, winning numerous trophies,” said team President and Captain Patrick Gavin. “Spearheading the effort to restore our beloved fountain to its original glory will be the biggest trophy of them all.”

In addition to the grant, the Owego Hose Teams, in partnership with the Marine Corps League, is hosting its inaugural Owego Hose Team Memorial Golf Tournament on June 3 at the Tioga Country Club in Nichols, N.Y. Funds raised from the tournament will also go towards the fountain restoration.  

Tioga Downs Casino is a tournament sponsor with corporate sponsors to date including BlueLine Associates, Coughlin and Gerhart, Global Industrial Services, Matthews Auto Group and Owego and Harford Railway. Additional community business partners include Hulslander Concrete, Lowe’s, Painters Plus and SUEZ Water, all of which will be contributing materials and work on the restoration.  

“As former Village of Owego Fire Commissioner I know how important the fountain is to the area,” said President of BlueLine Associates Rocky Silvestri.  “We are very excited to be supporting such a big piece of Owego’s history and image.”

Teams and sponsors are encouraged to register for the tournament through the team’s website at www.OwegoHoseTeams.com under the golf tournament tab.  Paper registrations will still be accepted and are also available online. There is a 60-team limit with both morning and afternoon flights available on a first come basis. The tournament is expected to be at capacity.       

Frank M. Baker was instrumental in organizing the Firemen’s Association of the State of New York (FASNY), of which he was secretary from 1874 to 1884, inclusive, and president in 1884 and 1885. He was president of the Central New York Firemen’s Association (CNYFA) in 1893. The Baker Fireman’s Fountain, depicting a firefighter holding a child, is often described as the symbol of Owego and its community minded residents standing for the spirit of volunteerism that makes Owego great. 

The overall cost estimate for the restoration is $60,000. Repairs include cement and concrete replacement, repainting, pipe, plumbing and pump work, basin liner repair and updated landscaping. Individuals can make tax deductible donations via the hose team website or by mailing checks made out to Owego Hose Teams, Inc. with “fountain restoration” in the subject line to 461 East Main St., Owego, N.Y. 13827.  

“I am pleased to see this combination of the hose team as a not for profit, the business community, individual donors, and our local government coming together to make this project happen,” said Village of Owego Mayor Steve May.  “This public / private collaboration not only brings us together as a community but produces positive results.”   

Incorporated as a not for profit in 2015 the Owego Hose Teams, Inc. have been competing in firematics since 1951. The year 2016 marked their 65th anniversary season. Hose races are timed events where firefighters test their skills. Teams of five members must connect nozzles to hoses, hoses to hoses, and hoses to the fire hydrant, and knock down targets in the quickest time in the ladder, wye, and straight lay competitions. Hose races improve basic firefighting skills. In addition to hose racing the teams support community projects.