21. John Puvogel (1931-1932)
Served 2 Years
John Puvogel was born on June 4, 1876, in Manhattan and is the son of Henry and Caroline (Fass) Puvogel who had a residence at 164 Broadway. John married Anna Fehring in October of 1917. John was local Postmaster, Insurance Salesman, Auctioneer and Water Commissioner.
John joined Protection Hook and Ladder Company 1 and served as their Captain in 1915 and 1916 and was elected for a second separate term from 1924 through 1929. After he left office the first time, he was elected Treasurer of Company 1 for a two-year term in 1919-1920. John was also the Department Treasurer in 1915. In 1931, John was elected as 21st Chief in 1931 and served a second year in 1932.
During his term as Chief, while responding to a brush fire on Broadway, the Larabee Car’s (used by Company 5) brakes failed and it ran into Company 2’s truck, hospitalizing Henry Auer.
Hicksville had followed in the footsteps of many of the departments throughout the county. In 1931, ten members completed fifteen hours of study over a period of ten weeks and took their final examinations under direction of Benjamin Gammage, instructor of first aid and life saving for the Nassau Chapter of the Red Cross. Members of the newly organized Hicksville Department Rescue Squad were John Bedell, Frederick Braun, Vincent Braun, William Christiansen, Herry Gleckler, Roy Rusch, Richard Butler, August Cardella, Harry Barley and Charles Steinhauer.
Chief Puvogel had the members train on the newly purchased smoke masks. This “Smoke Excluding Mask" was a filter-type mask that had a small bag of water that was suspended by a neck strap. Connected to the water bag were two sponge filters that were kept wet when the bag was squeezed. Air was drawn through the filters to the mouthpiece in the face mask.
A significant highlight during his term as Chief was when the new firehouse was proposed to be built on the existing site. After a vote was taken by the residents, the result was 353 to 298 in favor of building the firehouse at a cost of $80,000.
On May 20, 1932, the house movers took control of the firehouse and once it was emptied used rollers and horses to move it. It would sit in the middle of Mary Street overnight until it was lifted onto a concrete pad. Chief Puvogel ordered the apparatus removed to a parking area at West John Street and Broadway next to the police booth. Following the temporary move, the apparatus will then move to the Taliferro property next to McCullagh’s plumbing shop until the new construction is completed. While the apparatus was by the police booth, Chief Puvogel assigned three men from Company 5 to be on constant watch in 3-eight-hour shifts. When an emergency is called in, the on-call firemen drove the apparatus up Broadway to Cherry Street to Jerusalem Avenue and back to the booth, blowing its siren. Following the siren all other firemen responded to the police booth area and take up their apparatus.
With the work of removal of the firehouse completed the excavation for the new $80,000 Hicksville fire Department commenced. The new structure was being built under the direction of Gustave A. Wagner, Hicksville contractor. On May 20, 1932, the fire apparatus was home again after the fire house was moved across the street and left on Mary Street overnight. Once it was set in place, a new telephone was installed with the same number “26”.
Fire wrecked the bungalow of Anton Schultheis on Cantiague Road shortly after 9 o'clock March 13, 1932. The blaze which was discovered by a passerby was extinguished by the department, but not until it had done considerable damage. The building was used by Schultheis and his family as a summer home.
Chief Puvogel had several alarms in a single day. Stacks of corn stalks at the Heitz property, burning in a lot on Sixth Street and Fifth Avenue. The cause was unknown, but it was suspicious as having been set on fire. Then, there was a fire at Dante Street and Jerusalem Avenue, at the property of Fippinger Bros. The blaze was caused by an oil stove. The damage to the contents was greater than to the building. A third alarm at the corner of Herzog Place and Newbridge Road, where leaves and a fence burned with slight damage. Within a few hours there was a reported fire at Woodbury Road and Oyster Bay Road, that included grass and a small building. The damage was light. Finally, there were a few grass and rubbish fires ending the day at Ketcham Road and Woodbury Road, Rave Street and Broadway and a car fire in Jericho.
In 1931, the firemen went to Saranac Lake, New York to participate in the Annual New York State Firemen’s Tournament. When the day ended, the “Hicks” captured eight 1st Place trophies securing the title as Champions. This would never happen again even to this day. Those members were Chief John Puvogel, Team Captain, John Jeanson, Joseph and Gerald Braun, John Werthessen Jr., John Werthessen Sr., Louis Fricke, Arnold Jeanson, John Miller, William Braun, Otto Jeanson, Harold Hauxhurst, Richard Kershow, Harry Borley, Edmund Neder, Valentine Kerbs, William Geyer, Vincent Stolz and William Cisler. The silver cups have been on display at Station 1 on the 2nd floor showcases since they were brought home.
On December 27, 1931, fire roared through the A&P Grocery store at 112 Broadway with adjacent stores suffering smoke damage. Chief Puvogel and the firemen brought the blaze under control within 30 minutes but not before causing $3,000 in damage.
When Chief John Puvogel ended his term, he was presented with an Elks charm and watch chain by the members of the fire department at the annual Installation of Officers. Puvogel, who served as chief for two years, was succeeded by Harry Gleckler, who was elected at the annual department meeting.
Chief Puvogel was recognized for his life saving efforts for his actions taken in December of 1915. John was on his way to the Post Office, when he discovered a fire in the Kenmore Hotel and turned in an alarm. He made his way through the thick acrid smoke and flames to reach the occupants, Mr. and Mrs. Smith. He led them to safety as they escaped in their nightclothes down the back stairway. The building was a total loss. The fire spread to a Chinese laundry occupied by Charlie Wah, who was able to save only his electric washing machine. The Kenmore Hotel loss was $5,000. It was owned by Mrs. Johanna Taliaferro of Hicksville.
John was a Charter Member of Volunteer and Exempts Firemen’s Benevolent Association of Hicksville and Past President 1939-1940 and was Chairman of the Annual Labor Day Parade & Drill in 1930.
John was elected as Fire Commissioner in 1915 and served one-five-year term and was Chairman in 1918.
John Puvogel was a Club Leader in the Hicksville Democratic Association of the Third and Sixteenth Election Districts for many years. A special election was held by the Town Clerk and Justice Morey on August 20, 1927, to fill the vacancy created by the expired terms of Water Commissioners, August Deppish and Ernest Francke. John was elected to serve as Water Commissioner, a position he held through 1943. John’s father Henry also served in the Hicksville Fire Department.
On April 18, 1946, Chief Puvogel passed away after suffering a heart attack from striking his head on the pavement in front of his Broadway home. He was 69. He was laid to rest at the Plain Lawn Cemetery in Hicksville.
John Puvogel (far left) was Chief when the "Hicks" Drill Team took the New York State Championship in Saranac Lake, 1931 and the team is shown in from of the firehouse with their silver cups
