The third installment of the History of Lehighton Series, this time with the focus on the Lehighton Fire Department, is on the horizon.

The Lehighton 150 Celebration Committee will hold the event at 8 p.m. Friday on the second floor of the Lehighton Fire Station, located at Third Street in Lehighton.It will follow the commemoration of the borough's new fire department, which will include a formal station dedication and open house that will begin at 5 p.m.The open house will consist of the formal dedication and housing ceremony at 6 p.m., and will include the 2015 KME pumper, and Rescue One Connector Boat at 6 p.m., followed by additional open house activities. The annual fire prevention poster contest entries, which are created by students in grades one through four, will be on display in one of the apparatus bays.In conjunction with the fire department dedication, Mike Ebbert will focus his presentation on the Lehighton Fire Department, as well as major fires of the town.This event is offered in the hopes of obtaining freewill donations to benefit the Lehighton 150 Celebration. A 50/50 raffle will also be held, while the Sesquicentennial Committee will be on hand to share information regarding the 2016 Celebration, the 150 Club and much more.The presentation will be on the second floor of the new Lehighton firehouse, which is handicap accessible, with an elevator available for those who attend.The fire department has many historical items and photographs on display throughout the fire station. They will also display scrapbooks of photos and newspaper clippings, which date back to the early 1900s. Anyone who is interested in donating photos, memorabilia or Lehighton Fire Department articles is welcome to do so on this night.During the presentation, Ebbert will focus on the fire department's history.The department has a long history of over 140 years, and it is difficult to cover all aspects and areas, so it will be divided into three sections.The first part of the program will focus on the formation of the town's fire protection, including the residents who created the early fire departments. It will also cover the first fire stations and celebrations.The next section will cover some of the town's devastating fires, and then finally, the town's fire equipment and fire apparatus.The program will begin with the Obert Meatpacking Plant and its water wagon, which provided the necessary water for fire protection. It will then move on to discuss the formation of the Lehigh Hook and Ladder Company, which was the first organized fire department. The formation of Lehigh Fire Company No. 1 Inc. and the formation of Engine Company Number 2 will also be included. The firehouses of these two departments will conclude the first part of the presentation.The second section, major fires of the Lehighton area, will begin with the massive fire in 1901 of the Carbon Improvement Company in Weissport. The Serfas Motor Car Company fire, when one team of horses had to be taken back to the firehouses to pull multiple fire engines, is the second fire to be covered. Other fires will include the Obert's Stockyard fire, the Colonial Mansion, the Elks Building, Bayers Paints, as well as several others.Time will also be dedicated to discuss the Duraloom fire. This fire was a tragedy, as it was the first time a Lehighton Volunteer Firefighter died in the line of duty. Another tragic event, the Citgo Fire of 1974, with a large explosion which injured three Lehighton firefighters and engulfed a fire engine in flames, is also included.Finally, a brief overview of the fire apparatus of the fire department will be explored. It will include the early hand- and horse-drawn equipment, and how the firefighters raised funds to pay for the horses' feed. Images of the first motorized fire engine, the brush truck, and other apparatus will be shown.In continuing the participation of borough residents, the celebration committee asks that you follow the Times News from today through Friday to learn facts regarding the Lehighton Fire Department.A trivia contest will be available during the presentation with prizes awarded.