CLINTON, NJ — August 14, 2026 —Clinton's historic fire apparatus Lulubelle received several special recognitions this week as the Clinton Fire Department prepares to celebrate the antique pumper's 100th anniversary.

According to the Clinton Fire Department, Lulubelle was recognized by Mayor Janice Kovach and the Clinton Town Council, while Congressman Tom Kean Jr. also stopped at the firehouse Friday to see the apparatus.

The recognitions come just one day before the department's planned centennial celebration on Saturday, August 15. The Town of Clinton approved the 100th-anniversary event earlier this year, and the fire department scheduled an antique apparatus muster at the station and along East Main Street and New Street.

The first automated equipment used by the Clinton Fire Department was the Lulubelle, an American LaFrance pumper built in 1926. The truck was renovated in the late 1980s, according to the department's historical documents, which also designate it as a significant aspect of its past. In order to preserve the vintage equipment operating, department personnel later refurbished the engine in 2012.

Lulubelle is more than just a museum exhibit to firefighters. In addition to a 2021 pumping drill, the department has continued to preserve and run the old pumper. Its history shows how equipment, pumping operations, and fireground capabilities have evolved over the previous century.

The department, which has served Clinton since 1892, protects more than 4,000 residents across approximately three square miles and also provides primary fire protection to portions of Union Township. Clinton firefighters respond to both emergency calls and mutual-aid requests in surrounding Hunterdon and Warren counties.