As the unoffical historian and curator for the Morris Plains Fire Department, Assistant Chief John Downs sees connecting with the department's past as a way to help future generations.
"The reason we're doing this is we don't have a lot of guys left who know our history. … I'm kind of the gatekeeper," Downs told Firehouse News in a recent interview, adding that there are only two other members who have been with the department for a long stretch.
That's led him to search eBay and other websites for artifacts that paint a picture of the department's history. And his discoveries have led to a few unsolved mysteries.
For instance, he still doesn't know the origin and ownership of a recently acquired 75-year-old helmet. Even more mysterious is why it was found more than 4,000 miles away in Wasilla, AK.
It was discovered at the Museum of Alaska Transportation and History a few years back. When the museum reached out to Downs to see if the department wanted it returned, he was eager to have it back, even if neither he nor the museum were aware of who owned it or how it ended up in Alaska.
While Downs has kept a record of past members, he didn't know of anyone who had moved out to the far West, let alone Alaska. The helmet also didn't have any outstanding identifying features.
"It's a leather helmet with a leather shield," Downs said. "There wasn't a lot of detail on it, and we couldn't figure out who it belonged to. We figure it's at least 75 years old. It's kind of frail."
Downs hopes to get a case and make the helmet the centerpiece of a display area at the Morris Plains headquarters. Currently, the items collected over the years are gathered in a closet at the station.
And that closet contains other mystery items, such as an original 1907 charter letter that strangely turned up on a lawn in Reading, PA. And the January 1949 minutes of the Morris Plains Fire Department Exempt Association, the precursor to the current fire department.
Downs discovered that item on eBay in June and bid on it. To his surprise, he was outbid for the item and baffled because he thought he would be the only person interested in it. It turned out that another firefighter had spotted it and put in a bid. Ultimately, it was purchased for $20 by another member and given to the department.
"I think there were three (department members) bidding on it at the same time," Downs said.
Downs hopes to cultivate that kind of interest in the department's history in the younger members.
"These younger guys don't really care about the history anymore," he said. "If you don't hold on to it, people aren't going to know how it started."
He scours obituaries to find out about past members, but he doesn't look at it as snooping for information on strangers. It's more about discovering things related to the brothers and sisters he didn't know.
"You take it personally. Your department is your family," Downs said. "You're almost looking at your family history."
In the past few years, Downs has also used the department's history as a way to connect with Morris Plains residents. As the community has kept changing, fewer people recognize the department and what it does, he said.
About every week, Downs posts a photo from the artifact closet or a historical fact about the department on its official Facebook page. Residents have responded by sending him information about former members or even providing historical items.
"I get emails out of the blue," he said. "People keep finding stuff and returning it."
The outreach has had a more tangible effect, too. Downs said it has raised the visibility of the department in the community, which has reaped benefits when it comes to raising money.
"This year, we had our biggest fund drive since right after 9/11," he said.
Downs has been with the Morris Plains Fire Department for about 15 years, and he served with another department for 10 years. He knows he won't be around to document the past forever, and he would like to pass the torch to a younger member.
He's already seen curiosity budding in some younger firefighters. He gets questions from them or emails expressing interest in learning more after seeing a post online.
"Remembering how the department starts is important because someone is going to ask you," Downs said. "One of the young guys emailed and asked, 'How did you find that item?' I said it was in the closet. And he said, 'I didn't know that.'"
History has been a passion for Downs that he credits to his dad, a history buff, former firefighter and World War II veteran. It's a passion that also comes through in his love of the history of the FDNY.
By maintaining the history, Downs said he's trying to make it possible for the current generation to look back at their time serving with the department even as memories are fleeting. He also wants to make sure the department is seen as a cornerstone of the Morris Plains community.
"We're trying to show the town what we do," Downs said. "And once history is gone, it's gone."
"Like my mother used to say: Take pride in yourself and take pride in where you came from," he added.
