In the early months of 1922, a meeting of the Ocean View Property Owners Association was held to decide whether a second fire company was needed in Leonardo. The President of the Association at that time was Mr. Ed Corbet.
Although valiant services were rendered in many cases by the Brevent Park & Leonardo Fire Company, the limited amount of equipment, the lack of fire hydrants, the fact that only booster tanks were available were the contributory factors in making the decision to form Community Fire Company.
The Ocean View Property Owners Association sponsored the operation and appointed an operations committee to help with a fund drive. Four teams, two men each, covered Ocean View and Mardean for contributions. The ladies auxiliary held a fair on the Community Fire House grounds at Monmouth and Ridgewood Avenues. The money which was raised helped to purchase a 1922 one-and-one-half ton Ford Motor Co. Fire Truck from O.J. Childs Co., Utica, N.Y. The price was $2050.00, including a self starter. Mr. Corbet and Mr. Christian Bang were appointed on the committee to purchase the truck which was delivered in the latter months of 1922.
Some of the pre-charter members were: John Ambos, Sr., Ed Corbet, J. MacPhee, Sr., E. Schoellner, Christian Bang, F. Logal, H. Meyers, P. Peters, Wm. Rall, T. Brennan, Huey Burnett, H. Nowells, Thomas Koehler, J. Schroeder and M. O'Keefe.
The first officers were: John Ambos, Sr., Chief; C. Bang, Treasurer; Ed Corbet, Recording Secretary; H. Noweils, Financial Seretary.
A Certificate of Incorporation, dated September 9, 1922, bearing the official name Community Fire Company of Leonardo, was filed in the Monmouth County Clerk's office on September 18, 1922. At the first regular meeting after being incorporated, held on Saturday, September 16, 1922 at 8:00 p.m., a Constitution and By-Laws were adopted. The following officers were elected: Robert Banfield, Sr., Chief; Otto Krause, Assistant Chief; H. Meyers, Captain; James Black, Lieutenant; T. Koehler, Secretary; C. Bang, Treasurer.
Some of the Charter members were: John Ambos, Sr., Ed Corbet, J. MacPhee, Sr., J. Hinchcliffe, Sr., J. Hinchcliffe, Jr., T. Koehler, Jr., James Black, George Bostock, John R. Waldmann, Sr., F. Logel, H. Meyer, P. Peters, Wm. Rail, T. Brennan, Huey Burnett, Otto Krause, E. Decker, Cliff Gordon, C. Manger, M. O'Keefe, J. Lymann, Otto Seasser, F. Bader, B. Knockel, F. Steeber, C. Bang, L. Veigel.
Other members who joined a few months later were: J. Hammesfahr, Frank S. Wadsworth, Leo Herbster, Walter Paine, J.Ambos, Jr., F. Kilduff, Fred Krebbs, Harry Letts, Oscar Shoenhaven, Frank Schano, Sam Hartong, A. Krug, Charles Bergmann, J. Reittmeyer, F. Pfenning, Morris Joseph, Henry Snyder.
On September 16, 1924, it was agreed to purchase the lots at the southwest corner of Appleton and Highland Avenues for $1,000.00 from Joseph Winnifred Kennedy of Belford, N.J. Thereafter on March 24, 1925, a contract was awarded to James MacPhee to construct a two-story building for $5,384.00, plus $942.00 to Henry Meyer for plumbing and heating. The cornerstone for this building was laid on May 31, 1925 and upon the building's completion, the apparatus and all equipment were moved from the rear of the Community House on Monmouth and Ridgewood Avenues to the new building.
On September 30, 1924 the Ladies Auxiliary was formed by Mrs. Ida Bang, Mrs. Ana Bergmann, Mrs. Margaret Corbet, Mrs. J MacPhee and Mrs. Krebbs. The Ladies Auxiliary has served the company well since it's start, performing invaluable sevice at fires, at the fair and other functions of the company.
At a special meeting on March 31, 1927, it was voted to purchase a Sanford 500 G.P.M. pumper for $6,250.00 with a booster tank. The truck served the community well for my years.
In the summer of 1928 a meeting was held at the Community fire house in which the foundation was layed for the formation of the present fire department.
In October 1945, the Company purchased, from Lilian Rall, 75 feet of land adjoining its headquarters and constructed three separate bays in 1955 for the equipment. A Chevrolet pumper was purchased from the War Assets Administration in September 1946. Around 1952, a light truck was purchased from Atlantic Highlands Fire Department. On August 19,1952 it voted to purchase a 600 G.P.M. triple combination Oren pumper for $15,750.00.
The company resumed its annual fair in 1963, which helped to purchase a new Ultra-Modern Maxim 1250 G.P.M. Diesel Pumper at a cost of $53,000. This was the first 1250 G.P.M. Pumper and Diesel in the Department
In 1971 the company purchased the property on the corner of Appleton Avenue and Highway #36, where the fair is held annually. The proceeds from this fair helped to purchase a brand new 1978 Hamley Custom 1000 G.P.M. Pumper.