Riviera Beach VFC Hits Another Anniversary Milestone

By Darrell Mak

As the Riviera Beach Volunteer Fire Company quietly celebrates its 80th anniversary, the station’s members continue to find creative ways, as it has in the past, to host a variety of fundraisers to support continuing operations and maintenance expenses.

Established in the 1930s, the Riviera Beach VFC has been serving the communities of Riviera Beach ever since. It’s rarely a dull moment. Last year, the station responded to over 1,500 fire calls and over 2,000 emergency medical calls, providing invaluable service to local residents.

Operations are primarily funded by donations and fundraising events. While the Company’s Friday night Bingo serves as its main fundraising staple, it has introduced other activities to attract community interest. Every spring in May, the VFC organizes a week-long carnival for families and kids.

“It’s usually a really good turnout,” said Bill Rambo, President of the Riviera Beach Volunteer Fire Company. A parade is usually held immediately after the carnival to exhibit the various types of fire-fighting equipment and apparatus the Company uses in its day-to-day activities.

If the Company can generate enough in donations, it plans to begin renovating parts of the 80-year-old fire station. “It needs some help to get it to where it’s a little more functional,” said Rambo.

In addition to its weekly Friday night Bingo, a few weeks ago the Fire Company held a Sportsman Bash fundraiser, which attracted hunting and fishing enthusiasts from the area. Coming up on Labor Day weekend, the VFC will host its sixth annual “Dena Fest” with a battle of the bands competition along with lots of food and drink. The festival will feature local bands and artists donating their time to help raise funds for a local charity.

In October, the Company holds a community Open House to allow visitors to tour the fire station and see the equipment and other displays, such as cut-open cars and a police K9 display. Rambo said the county and other firehouses bring in special exhibits to display at the Open House. The fire station also regularly hosts crab and shrimp feasts and bull roasts throughout the year.

All funds raised from the events go directly to purchasing new equipment and building maintenance efforts. Rambo said the next major purchase for the firehouse will be a new Tiller Truck, which essentially is a hook and ladder fire truck that bends in the middle. “The ladder truck we have now is pretty old and needs a lot of repairs,” he added.

Rambo, a former Riviera Beach fire fighter, describes belonging to a fire company as like family. “Once it’s in your blood, it’s hard to get rid of,” he said. “It’s a brotherhood. We all look out for each other.”

One of the most somber moments in the history of Riviera Beach VFC was the fateful day that took the life of its fire chief, Edwin E. “Boots”
Raynor, who suffered a heart attack while fighting a brush fire in Bayside Beach in 1986. “He was a really good chief,” recalled Rambo. The
company dedicated a fire truck to him, and the county renamed the road near the fire station Edwin Raynor Boulevard in Raynor’s memory.

Today, the Riviera Beach VFC consists of over 85 volunteers, including members, lifetime members and cadets. More than 50 of those volunteers
are riding members of the fire force.

“We are always looking for volunteers… the doors are always open,” emphasized Rambo. “We’ve survived 80 years of recessions and depressions; we’re holding our own.”