Where there’s smoke, there’s a Griffeth

By ROBERT LINNEHAN | The Haddonfield Sun
Since the early 20th century there’s always been a Griffeth at Haddon Fire Co. №1.
Whenever there was a fire in the borough, it’s likely there was a Griffeth at the scene.
With Brian Griffeth, 24, being sworn into the company several weeks ago, the firefighting family has had five consecutive generations of males volunteer their time at the historic company.
Parker, 83, Brian’s grandfather, joined the company in May of 1947. One of the company’s trustees — and also a chairman — Parker’s father, and his Uncle Russ were the assistant chief and chief of the company when he joined.
Parker joined the company, not from pressure from his father or uncle, but just from being around the firehouse. It was the same with his son, David, 53, Brian’s father. There was never any pressure from any of the generations to join the fire company, David said. It just came from the desire and interest to help the community.
David joined the company when he was 18 in January of 1975.
“I lived right across the street from the fire station,” Parker said. “Just being around it all the time made me interested in joining. My dad was the assistant chief when I joined the company, and my uncle was the chief.”
The Griffeths spent many years living across the street from the company, living behind Griffeth Electric Co. on Kings Highway. Perhaps Brian knew he would be a fireman later on his life, David said. One day a police officer found the toddler trying to cross Haddon Avenue to get to the fire station.
He had shimmied up a tree and over the fence that surrounded the home, and was trying to walk across the street to play with the fire trucks in the company’s driveway.
“I always wanted to join the company, it was something I’ve always wanted to do,” Brian said. “It was always there, it was always part of my life.”
David and Parker spent many days at the station with their family. Both spent countless hours going out on calls, they said, and were on the scene for the inferno at Garden State Park on April 14, 1977.
“I really don’t have any horror stories, I can’t call them that. It was just part of the job,” David said.
Since being sworn in by Mayor Tish Colombi and Commissioners Ed Borden and Jeff Kasko, Brian’s been receiving extensive in-house training, along with eight weekends of training from Camden County. It’s certainly much different than his grandfather’s training, Parker said.
“We had one drill a month, that’s it,” Parker said. “If you were a driver you had another drill as well. But they were good, they were all hands-on, we had some good experiences.”
Brian’s experience is much different than David’s. He was the second to last member of the fire company to be voted in as a member. Now, anyone can volunteer to be part of the company and as long as they reach several requirements they can join, he said. But when he joined, the members of the fire company had to approve of a new member and vote him into the squad.
Potential members could be blackballed from firefighting if they had a bad reputation or the company didn’t like them, Parker said.
It was a much different time, Parker said. When he first signed up volunteers had to share equipment, including boots, jackets and helmets. After a severe outbreak of athlete’s foot, the company requested the borough purchase more equipment.
The borough and the community have always been great supporters of the fire company, Parker said, throughout his years of service.
It’s been a great experience, David agreed with Parker, and told Brian to remember his training because it will come in handy throughout his entire life.
They’re a rare breed and part of an extended family, Parker said. As volunteers, they should be very proud of what they do with Haddon Fire Co. №1.
“Be very proud that you volunteer and do this,” Parker said. “Firefighting will be just one of the things you do in your career. As volunteers you have a litany of responsibilities.”