Shepherdstown, WV (2026 Nov 12) — The Shepherdstown Fire Department dedicated its newest vehicle, “Tanker 3,” during a community ceremony on Sunday, Nov. 8.
Shepherdstown Fire Chief Ross Morgan pegged the all-in cost of the new tanker at $780,000 — funded by years of bingo, apple butter sales, and Sportsman’s Bashes. The escalating costs of new fire apparatus will be a key point in the County Commission’s discussions of how it plans to support a viable fire fighting service in the coming decades.
A Ceremony Based On Tradition
Morgan (image above) opened the formal part of the ceremony by recounting the history of the dedication tradition, noting past honorees for their service and support:
- Charles Tice Tennant (2006 EMS chase buggy)
- Kenneth Shipley (2012 Engine 3)
- Shepherdstown Homemakers Club (2016 Ambulance 3)
- Rev. Charles Cathcart (2016 Ambulance 3-1)
- Chief D. Lee Morgan (2018 Aerial truck)
- Doug & Judy Pittinger (2022 chase buggy)
The new tanker was dedicated to honor retired Chief Leon Catrow. According to Morgan, Catrow joined the department in 1959 and became Chief Engineer in 1962. He served as Assistant Fire Chief from 1966 until 1999, when he was appointed Fire Chief, a position he held until he retired in 2005. Morgan noted that in his 47 years of service, Catrow was instrumental in acquiring several tankers for the Department, including a repurposed 1947 fuel delivery truck and an early 1960s converted milk truck. In 1977, Catrow organized the purchase of the Department’s first new tanker and also its 2000 replacement, which will be sold after the newly-dedicated tanker is put into service.
Hose-Down and Push-In
Following the dedication ceremony, Chief Marshall DeMeritt (image above) invited community members to participate in the hose-down and push-in transition — a ceremonial washing of the new vehicle and then all hands-on-deck effort to push the truck into the station (images below).
Published 2026 Nov 12 in the Observer Weekly.
By Steve Pearson