Fayette County firefighters wrap up annual week-long convention
McCLELLANDTOWN – Whether a tree falls across a roadway in a storm or an old electric outlet sparks a blaze in a wall, volunteer firefighters respond. The men and women who give up their time to serve the Fayette County community in the worst situations got together Saturday to display their spotless equipment and have some fun on the final day of their week-long annual convention.
The parade of emergency equipment through McClellandtown streets was a highlight on the close of the 65th Annual Fayette County Fireman’s Association Convention.
“The ones who didn’t come really missed it,” said McClellandtown fire Chief Jim “Jim Bob” Huhn.
The McClellandtown station and grounds were the site of the convention that was sponsored this year by that department and the other German Township volunteer fire departments of Adah, Edenborn, Footedale and Ronco.
Firefighters said they need the community to keep them going.
“We spend 75 to 80 percent of our time raising funds. The rest of our time is for training and everybody works,” said Mike “Ham” Kelecic, Edenborn’s assistant chief.
He said the German Township fire departments have joined together for fundraisers like the firefighters’ festival they held in June and have planned again for next June. He added that the ladies auxiliaries from the departments have also been a tremendous help.
Doug Abel of the Perry Township department and secretary of the association said the departments’ budgets are up to them to raise and some may get municipal donations. He said about five years ago the local departments got a $5,000 grant each through the efforts of state Sen. Richard Kasunic (D-Dunbar) but there is no state aid, although firefighters are waiting for the outcome of this year’s state budget talks that includes a proposal for grant funding for fire departments.
Kasunic was guest speaker when the Fayette County Fireman’s Association members on Saturday morning held their annual meeting.
Kasunic said afterward that the state two years ago earmarked $25 million in the budget for direct grants to fire departments but that funding was just for one year. He said the pending legislation on whether to legalize slot machines in Pennsylvania includes $25 million of the proceeds for grants to the departments.
“Volunteer firemen spend their own time fund-raising for their departments. They are putting themselves out for the health, safety and welfare of the community. They are called out for anything,” Kasunic said.
“Who do you call? You call the volunteer firemen no matter what happens. They are the first responders at every emergency, every disaster. They are worth their weight in gold.”
Kasunic, who was in the parade with Fayette County Commission Chairman Vincent A. Vicites, said municipalities could not begin to cover the cost of the fire departments’ service but cannot do without them. He made a plea to the people of Fayette County to support their volunteer firefighters through donations and to also consider membership. Kasunic said he could not wait to become a member of his hometown department, Monarch Volunteer Fire Department, when he turned 18 and maintains membership.
“We need to learn to appreciate more the effort that’s put forth and we need to see what can be done with recruitment,” he said.
The immediate past president of the association, James D. Bungard, made similar comments about recruitment and funding.
Also at the annual meeting, the association members elected Wilford Torrence of the North Union Township Volunteer Fire Department as president for the year, replacing Bungard, who is the chief at Ohiopyle-Stewart Volunteer Fire Department. District Justice Brenda Cavalcante of Masontown swore Torrence into office.
Bungard said he served during a good, positive year and acknowledged the German Township firefighters for organizing the convention that he said fosters camaraderie among the departments and gives the firefighters a chance to relax together.
A firefighter for 47 years, Bungard said departments are working to recruit new members. He said it is a constant challenge to bring in and keep young people who he said have so many demands on their time and seem to lack the community spirit of prior generations.
He said the age is 18 to become an active firefighter, but anybody can join a fire department and find a place in the organization even if they do not go out on calls to fight fires.
He said Fayette County has about 2,400 firefighters and said of the future that he is not sure how the departments will continue to operate unless they get state or other aid.
Husband and wife Kelly and Debbie Parshall, who are both firefighters for the Fayette City Volunteer Fire Department, talked about time consuming fundraisers and their commitment to firefighting.
“It’s in my blood,” said Debbie, a member of the department 10 years and the current secretary.
Her father, E. James Eley Jr., is chief and more than 30 members of her family belong to fire departments. She noted her three-year-old daughter, Bailey, already enjoys visits to the station. She said the fire department is a family in itself and the members are friends and neighbors who look out for each other.
As a woman, Debbie said she has become accepted just like anyone else and has proven herself through training and accomplishments. She said women are more accepted as firefighters in general now than even 10 years ago and she is seeing more women join fire departments. She encouraged women to get involved.
“Don’t be afraid. If you want to do it and you’re passionate about it, any fire company would be glad to take you. Just don’t do it for the wrong reason. You have to want to do it because it takes a lot of time,” she said.
She talked about the emotions that come from answering a call from a fire to a car wreck and said people have shown a new respect for firefighters since the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.
Kelly, president of the Fayette City department, said the common calls are automatic alarm activations, vehicle wrecks, trees down, flooding, structure fires and grass fires, and different departments because of their locations have different situations to deal with that others may not encounter such as river rescues.
He said much training goes into firefighting and the training ranges from basic knowledge to advanced, specific skills.
The association holds a fire school twice a year at a Duck Hollow site with state-certified instructors.
Brian VanSickle, first vice president at the Farmington Volunteer Fire Department, said training can also be customized to a department’s needs and various members of the local departments have different certifications for training.
He said among the courses he teaches is a basic class for new firefighters and gets about 50 to 60 new candidates a year. He said he has seen an increase in people over the age of 40 and women.
“Anybody can join. There is a place in the fire company for anybody. If you have a phobia of something, we can see that and give you something else to do. Anybody with an interest can join,” VanSickle said.
Daily skills competitions were a feature of the convention.
Twelve departments competed last Monday in the battle of the barrel with Dunbar firefighters winning. North Union Township Volunteer Fire Department won the hose laying event on Tuesday and the tug of war on Thursday. The bucket brigade contest on Wednesday went to Farmington firefighters, while South Connellsville junior firefighters won the junior division. The gear and mask scramble was held Friday with four divisions of individuals competing. Winners were Nick Napolillo, Connellsville Township, 20 and under; Robbie Lieberger, Connellsville Township, 21-30; Jimmy Bashour, Republic, 31-40; and Jimmy Smith, Ronco, 40 and over.
Adah Volunteer Fire Department got the best-dressed award for the week.
Participants in the Saturday afternoon parade included firefighters from the sponsoring German Township departments as well as Farmington, Hopwood, Fairchance, Connellsville Township, Dunbar, North Union Township, New Haven Hose Co., Carmichaels and Cumberland Township, Uniontown, South Connellsville, Ohiopyle-Stewart, Perry Township, Dawson, Large, New Salem, California, Hiller, Point Marion, Tower Hill No. 2, Smithfield, Renton, South Brownsville, Belle Vernon, Fayette City, Luzerne Township, Allison No. 2, Washington Township, Masontown, Monarch and D.L.&V.
This was the first time for the event to be held in McClellandtown and the location next year will be Point Marion. Farmington was the site of last year’s convention that the department hosted there in conjunction with Hopwood.