During the Second World War, many Bower Hill firefighters went off to serve in the armed forces. During this era, Bower Hill became one of the first fire departments to accept a woman as a full active member, when Esther Padgelek joined the department. At the time, no insurance carrier would cover a woman as a firefighter, so she was listed on the roster simply as “E. Padgelek.” The entire community contributed to public protection as well as to the war effort. Local industries, which produced steel, paint and glass, and made rifle and artillery barrels among other products, were essential to war production. Fire protection for these facilities was imperative, and the managers of the factories and mills encouraged all employees to volunteer as firefighters.

The department had to replace its Chemical and Hose Car during the war years. It had long exceeded its useful service life, and parts were completely unavailable. The department members cobbled temporary parts and held together what they could, but from April of 1942 to February of 1944, the truck was out of service more than it was available. Finally, in February of 1944, the old International was rendered beyond repair by mechanical failure and the department returned to fighting fires with hand extinguishers. With this, after two years of paperwork and petitions, the War Production Board finally authorized the department to purchase a new pumper. The chassis was a 1942 White, Model WA114, and the apparatus body and 500 Gallon per Minute (GPM) pump came from American Fire Apparatus. During the struggle to get approval from the War Production Board, the officials of local industries wrote numerous letters in support of the department and its contribution to the war effort. A telegram of April 29, 1944 notes that the lack of a suitable pumper cost the war effort a major oil well, which was totally destroyed by fire along with its derrick, all its outbuildings and two nearby dwellings, three days earlier on April 26th. This seemed to make a difference. On May 4, the War Production Board gave its approval, and on May 17, the chassis was sent to the apparatus builder. The completed vehicle, the first pumper the department ever owned, was delivered and went into service just after the Allied invasion of Europe began in June.

In 1941, the Ladies Auxiliary of the Bower Hill Volunteer Fire Department met for the first time. Though the phrase “pillar of the community” is a cliché, it truly applies to ladies of the auxiliary. They instituted the first Bingo fund raisers in 1942 at Bower Hill School, and raffled Defense Bonds to support the war effort and the fire department. In 1947, they bought the Community Honor Roll to honor the military veterans from Bower Hill who served in the Second World War. This monument, originally erected at Bower Hill School, now stands at the site of the Bower Hill state historical marker on Kane Boulevard thanks to the efforts of the Scott Conservancy.