Jamesport Fire Department Rovers - Racing Team History

The Racing Team, also known to others as, Drill Team, is most active during the summer competitive season. It is a select group of firefighters who spend countless hours of practicing and dedicating their time to achieve their best score while competing against other local fire departments in tournaments all throughout New York State. Here below is the story of the Jamesport Fire Department Rovers.

Jamesport Fire Department participated in many competitions throughout its years. Primarily featured in the North Fork Competitions, The Rovers also debuted in competitions on the South Fork as well as some parts of Brookhaven Town. Records show that not only did the Jamesport Fire Department Rovers participate, they were also winning and doing very well for such a young department. In 1963, the Jamesport Fire Department was declared the North Fork Champs.

In 1967, the Jamesport Fire Department Rovers Racing Team participated in a few events at a local competition in Riverhead. The Rovers walked away with a 3^rd place trophy in the Bucket Brigade Event.  1968 came by and the Jamesport Rovers has two trophies on file from the Shelter Island Competition. Both trophies are for 2^nd place. One trophy is for the Efficiency Contest, while the other one was for the Bucket Brigade Event. The year is now 1969 and Jamesport Fire Department is really making a name for themselves in the racing world. At the Cutchogue Fire Department Competition, the Rovers were awarded 1^st place for both the Running Hose Event and the Running Ladder Event. The Rovers also received 2^nd place for their Bucket Brigade team at the Sag Harbor Competition. 1969 was a tough year with good teams all around Jamesport. However, at the end of the year, records show that Jamesport Fire Department racing team, the Rovers, were declared once again North Fork Champs as they finished overall in 1^st place at the North Fork Volunteer Fire Association Tournament.

1970, the year of 3^rd place. Records show the Rovers decided to put their Bucket Brigade team to test and competed in Brookhaven Township at the Center Moriches Competition. Too much of their surprise, the Rovers walked away with a 3^rd place trophy for the Bucket Brigade Event. The rovers also received 3^rd place trophies in the Southold Competition for the 3-Man Ladder Event as well as the Running Hook & Ladder event. The Rovers also competed in Cutchogue that year where they earned a 3^rd place trophy for the Efficiency Event. 

Look out Brookhaven Township, Jamesport Rovers are coming through and taking some trophies while we’re here. In 1971, the Rovers had new fierce and challenging opponents here in a new land in the Brookhaven Township. The Rovers were awarded 2^nd place for their 3-Man Ladder Event and 3^rd place for the Efficiency Event at the Eastport Fire Department Competition. The Rovers also has a 3^rd place trophy from the Cart & Ladder Event from the Center Moriches Competition. And also in 1971 Jamesport Rovers were given the 4^th place trophy for the Cart & Hose Replacement Event at the Manorville Fire Department Competition.

Skipping ahead a few years, the Jamesport Fire Department has been under the radar now and received only one trophy from years 1972 – 1976. In 1976, Jamesport Fire Department racing team was given the 4^th place trophy in Riverhead for the Cart & Hose Event. 1977 was also an unusual year for the Rovers. At the Wading River Fire Department Competition, the Rovers walked away with a 5^th place trophy for Efficiency Event and a 4^th place trophy for the Running Hose Event. Jamesport Fire Department also received a 5^th place trophy for the Efficiency Event in Sag Harbor. The following year flew by with no trophies and at the Southold Fire Department Competition in 1979, the Rovers had only received one trophy for a 4^th place finish for the Efficiency Event.

Finally, in 1980, the Jamesport Fire Department Rovers were back to their norm and getting trophies left and right. The team received a 2^nd place trophy at the Southold Fire Department Competition with their Running Ladder team. 3^rd place is where they took trophies at the tournament held in Jamesport for the events of the 3-Man Ladder and the Cart Hose Replacement Events. Then at the North Fork Championship, Jamesport Fire Department walked away with a 3^rd place trophy for the Cart Hose Replacement Event. 1981 was a bit of a dull year where the Rovers only received a trophy in the Manorville Fire Department Competition where they had received a trophy for 3^rd place in the Cart & Ladder event.

Due to rising costs of equipment, maintenance and repair, as well as other factors, the Jamesport Fire Department Rovers racing team officially retired around the year 1986. Surrounding departments continued to race and upgrade their team to fit the new era of racing with motorized carts, newer events and improved tracks. Currently today, the Riverhead Fire Department Ironmen and the Cutchogue Fire Department Panthers are the only two racing teams on the entire North Fork.

In the recent years of 2017-2018, one of our own members, Ex-Captain, Firefighter/E.M.T. James Fetten, has completely restored and refurbished a racing cart that has been stored in the late John Anderson’s barn. With the help of Ex-Captain Chris Gevinski in building a new ladder, you can see here below what an amazing job James and Chris have done so that we can relive the memories and add this as a part of our history. Ladies and Gentlemen, the Jamesport Fire Department racing team, the Rovers original racing cart. Currently, this wonderful racing cart is used for special ceremonial events, as well as used for the last ride for members who have answered their Final Alarm.