Since I was about 2 1/2 years old, I've wanted to be a firefighter. Off and on for the past 5 years now I've served with several different fire and EMS services. To date, I've never actually been a full member of any of these stations. I've run as an explorer, a probie, and an "honorary" firefighter, but I have yet to be certified as a firefighter or emt. Hopefully by the end of the year I will finally be able to fix this situation. Until then, all I have to share are the limited experiences I've had with these stations:
Cover Hill V.F.D. (Johnstown, PA)
Photo By: Dennis M. Kovach
Station 13 was the first station I actually joined.
In 1995 Barb Rowe, a paramedic from the station, started up Explorer Post
13. Even though I was technically too young (by 3 months), I was
allowed to join any ways. Most of the members of the post were from
Conemaugh Valley schools, and I think I was the only one who didn't live
in either Conemaugh Twp., Daisytown, East Taylor Twp., East Conemaugh,
or Franklin. It didn't matter, though, because at Cover Hill EVERYONE
is family. That year the explorers operated as a marching group in
several parades, taking prizes at a couple of them. The big moment,
though, was when Cover Hill won the "Best Appearing Department" award at
the annual county convention in Nanty Glo. We had a lot at the parades,
but we also had a lot of fun in training, whether it was rappelling off
the tower or cutting up cars out at the junkyard. And of course,
who could forget the "Gossard Hill Ghetto"?
At the height of our activities the post had 23 members, but by the time
I moved there were only about 8 of us active. Many of the former
explorers are now full members at Daisytown, Franklin, East Taylor, and
of course Cover Hill. To the best of my knowledge, the post is still
active today.
East
Hills E.M.S. (Johnstown, PA)
Photo By: Dennis M. Kovach
I joined Station 9 at the beginning of my sophomore year,
and even though I was only there for 11 months, I learned more than I had
in my whole life up to that point. Explorers at East Hills were expected
to do ride-alongs, and consequently I spent almost every Saturday night
working there from 16:00-24:00. The explorers functioned essentially
as a third crew member, and often we were allowed to do as much as a licensed
emt. Bob Haddad (the post leader) used to say that we could do anything
except start i.v.'s and intubate. I worked several hundred hours
there, and I made 75 runs (although it took 9 months for me to get my first
arrest, which was a save by the way). Besides EMS skills, I also
learned the arts of dart throwing and pinball, and that you NEVER mess
with Bob. Despite finding out I was moving, it was the greatest 11
months of my life, and it's to the guys at 9 that I owe my current passion
for EMS.
Westmont Fire Department/ Hilltop E.M.S. (Johnstown, PA)
Station 28 was the one I referred to as my home department
for the 11 years I lived in Johnstown. I first visited the old Station
on Dartmouth Ave. just after we moved, and ever since Tom Ozog showed me
around I've been a the station's been a part of my life. I used to
listen to calls on my scanner, then ride my bike to watch them go by the
corner of Goucher & Menoher. The first call I ever really go
to "help out" at was one on Menoher where they were working an arrest,
so Jim Stutzman saw me standing there and had me help him get the stretcher
out of 28-3 (it was the biggest thrill of my life). Later on I made
the made the station's monthly run total when someone wrote "Spike-
1" on the list after I showed up at an electrical fire. And another
big day came when engine 28-1 (pictured above) was delivered in April of
1991 and I was one of the first 5 people to ride in it. My mom and
grandma got quite a shock when the engine pulled in our driveway!
I was never an official member of the department because I moved before
I turned 16, but despite that I often was allowed to do as much or more
than many of the junior firefighters there (my mom being fire police captain
may have played a role in that, but she never would've been there in the
first place if it hadn't been for me). I still visit the station
every time I'm in town, and I still have a passion for white trucks with
blue stripes.
Worthington
Division of Fire (Worthington, OH)
After my move to Ohio I looked around Columbus at all
the Explorer posts in town, and I learned that the only one that allowed
riders was my local department, Station 100. Unfortunately I joined
at a bad time, just after the current chief quit his job. Without
approval from a higher authority, none of us who weren't already approved
could ride. By the time I was allowed it was near the end of senior
year, and I really only got to ride for one shift. Still, we've had
a lot of fun with training, and especially with the Fire Safety House (have
you ever been in a small room with nine cheerleaders, then been "forced"
to follow them as they crawl through the darkened halls to the exit???).
Also, I learned from our post leader Mark Lundy that a ping pong ball will
not melt after 3 minutes in the microwave. Unfortunately between
my work schedule and my age I've had to step down from the post.
I had fun while I was there and lament the fact that Worthington isn't
a volunteer station.
College Park Vol. Fire Department (College Park, MD)
Yet another station that i only had a (very) brief stint with, fall of my freshman year I tried to join Station 12. I had started my training, and had started my process as a probie, but after four months of being able to do nothing because of county rules, I became VERY frustrated. Even though the station is an independent, volunteer organization they are staffed from 07:00 to 15:00 every day by paid personnel from the Prince George's County Fire Department (PGFD). Also, the only piece of apparatus that is owned by the department is Foam 12; all of their other trucks (including Engine 122, pictured above) are owned by the county. Because of all this and the fact that the county has made itself the authority over all stations, the county tells Station 12 how to run its business. I didn't like that idea, and after getting jerked around by the paperwork process twice over, I finally said to hell with it and walked away. I'm still friends with several guys at the station, and I have total respect for them, but it just wasn't the right environment for me.
Berwyn Heights Vol. Fire Department (Berwyn Heights, MD)
Well, after over two years of sitting on my ass, I finally found a new home: Station 14. After the tornado hit campus in September, 2001, I realized I needed to become active again, and 14 was the place to do that. One cool thing about 14: they don't carry any water. With Branchville and Greenbelt on either side of The Heights, Station 14 became a special services-only company. Between the unique equipment and the unique environment that is PG County, it made for some great training. I had a blast while I was there, but as they say all good things must end some day. I would have liked to have stayed on as an associate member and gone back to Maryland on weekends, but that's tough when you live 430 miles away. C'est la vie, I guess.
Monroe Township Fire Department (Johnstown, OH)
Photo By: Dennis M. Kovach
I just can't get away from Johnstown, can I? After
sitting in Ohio for almost a year, I finally found a fire deparment in
the Columbus are that would accept volunteers. I became Monroe's
first "out-of-town" volunteer, a pilot program that is currently adding
its second group of members. For those of us who don't live in Monroe's
first due, they ask us to do 96 hours a month of on-station time.
That's a lot, but I don't mind doing it at all. Anything to ride
the big red (green) trucks. I usually spend two weekends a month
up there (2000 Friday until 2000 Sunday) plus time spent at training and
just hanging out. Since they're a combination department, it's different
than anyone else I've run with before. I ahve to say, though, that
for the most part the volunteers and career members have a great working
relationship. That's the way it should be: brothers and sisters
in service.