The Hudson Department of Fire will hold its "156th Annual Inspection & Parade" this weekend in the city. First held in 1856, the parade is one of the oldest, if not the oldest, annual fire department parades in the United States. The four companies of the Hudson Department of Fire along with ten guest companies will participate.

The inspection of firehouses, equipment, and apparatus will begin at 6PM on Friday at the J. W. Hoysradt Hose Company, No. 8 firehouse on Warren Street. That will be followed by inspection of the apparatus and equipment of J. W. Edmonds Hose Company, No. 1, H. W. Rogers Company, No. 2, and C. H. Evans Hook & Ladder Company, No. 3, the three companies, along with the Hudson Fire Police, housed at the central firehouse on North 7th Street.

Commissioner of Fire Jeffrey Yates, Fire Chief Robert Pulver, 1st Assistant Chief Craig Haigh, and 2nd Assistant Chief James Schermerhorn, Jr. will oversee the inspection. Mayor Richard Scalera, Common Council President Donald Moore, and members of the Common Council will also participate.

The annual memorial service for departed firefighters of the Hudson and Greenport Fire Departments will be held at 8PM Friday at the Central Station.

The annual fire department parade will be step off at 5PM on Saturday with line up at 4PM. The parade will form on North 7th Street near the Central Station with the parade proceeding over 7th to Warren Street, and down Warren to Front Street where the parade will disband. Trophies will be awarded at the Central Station at 7PM.

The Hudson Department of Fire is the oldest volunteer fire department in New York State. It was chartered on March 19, 1794 by the New York State Legislature in New York City in "An ACT for the better extinguishing Fires in the City of Hudson". The following month Engine Company No. 1, now Edmonds Hose Company, was formed followed in November 1794 by Engine Company No. 2, now Rogers Hose Company.

To put the historical significance of the Hudson Department of Fire into perspective, the first two companies of the department were organized during the second term of the presidency of George Washington. The act of the New York State Legislature authorizing the formation of organized fire protection in the City of Hudson was passed on the same day that the United States Senate authorized the formation of the United States Navy.

Hudson is also home of the FASNY Museum of Firefighting, considered by many to house the premier collection of firefighting artifacts and history in the world.