16. Henry Ferinand Kerbs (1923)
Served 1 Year
Henry Kerbs was born June 29, 1882, at his home on Woodbury Road. He was the son of Joseph and Pauline (Jacobs) Kerbs. He married Marion Morton in January of 1923, and they had a home at 33 Fountain Street. He was a plumber for many years. After the untimely death of his wife at the age of 30, Henry lived at 26 East John Street in the 1940’s.
Unlike Arnold Heitz and Henry Menge who were members prior to the formation of the Department, Henry joined as a Charter member of the Hicksville Volunteer Fire Department in February of 1893.
Henry was a “Tinsmith” by trade working for John Pepper and Sons in Brooklyn. He joined Volunteer Hose Company 4 and served as their Captain in 1922. In 1923, never serving as an Assistant Chief, Henry was elected as the 16th Chief of Department. He was a veteran of World War I drafted in September of 1917.
It was during Chief Kerbs’ term when the municipal water district was formed, and two pumping units were installed enabling water to be pumped from an elevated storage tank that stood 146 feet in the air with a capacity of 150,000 gallons. The pumps were able to provide 175 gallons per minute to the mains and tank. The new wells began producing two million gallons of water per year—traveling through 17 miles of new pipelines—all while maintaining 65 PSI of hydrant pressure. Following his term as Chief, Henry was asked to serve as 1st Assistant Chief in 1924.
Henry was an original member of the Annual Labor Day Parade and Drill and went onto serve as Chairman in 1928. Henry was elected as Fire Commissioner in 1930 and served one term and was chosen to serve as its chairman in 1933.
Chief Henry Kerbs passed away on October 23, 1963. There is no record of his internment.
Ex Chief Kerbs in middle of rear seat is shown with ex Chief’s Gebhardt and Braun at a Labor Day Parade in the late 1960's
