Eastern Berks Fire Department and Bally Community Ambulance will host a “Lights and Siren” parade and block party on Sept. 24, 2016 honoring the housing of EBFD’s new Engine and new Utility Truck and Bally’s new Ambulance.
* The parade begins at 4 p.m. as it travels north through Bechtelsville, along Old Rt 100 past the Barto Fire Station and out onto Rt 100 (Main St) in Bally. From there, it will follow Main Street from Second to Seventh, where it will turn and come back to the Chestnut Street Station.
* A Block Party begins at 4 p.m. in Bally with Food, Music, Games, Kids Touch-a-Truck, Fire Prevention House, MedEvac Landing and more!
* The official “Housing” of the two fire trucks and the ambulance will occur at 5:30 p.m.
* A Miller-Keystone Blood Drive will also occur that day in Bally from 4 to 8 p.m. The first 20 people to sign up – receive a Collectible Challenge Coin featuring the Fire Company and Ambulance ($10.00 value)
*Dozens of fire apparatus and ambulance are expected to compete for prizes awarded through the Tri-County Judges Association.
*Congressman Ryan Costello, Rep. David Maloney, Rep. Ryan Mackenzie, and Bally Mayor David Schott have been invited to speak.
The fire department will “house” its new 2015 Freightliner/4Guys Pumper with a 1000 gallon water tank and 1500 GPM pump, as well as a 2012 Ford F-250 Utility Truck. The ambulance association will “house” its newest Medic Unit – a 2014 Braun Signature Series Chevrolet Ambulance.
Eastern Berks Fire Department is celebrating the fifth anniversary of its organization as a result of the merger of three fire companies in 2011: Keystone Fire Company in Bechtelsville, Goodwill Fire Company in Bally, and Volunteer Barto Fire Company in Barto.
The public is invited to join in all the festivities.
The Keystone Fire Company No. 1 of Bechtelsville was the first of the three to be organized in 1916, celebrating what would be its 100th Anniversary. A year later, an engine house was erected where the Bechtelsville Post Office now sits. In 1952, it moved next door into a new two-story brick firehouse at a site formerly occupied by a grist mill. With an addition in 2004, this building is now designated as Eastern Berks Station 3. Its first fire engine was a Simplex pumper which was acquired at a cost of $1,565.
The Goodwill Fire Company of Bally was formed in 1923, after a destructive fire in which fire apparatus was sent from Pottstown to Barto by train and brought by horse to Bally. Land was donated where the present social quarters are located and a fire house built on that site. Its first piece of fire equipment was a chemical operated pumper, with its first new piece being a 1939 Ford pumper still owned by the department and featured in the parade and ceremonies on September 24th. In 1964 an entirely new engine room was erected, including a bay for the community ambulance. A two bay addition was later added for the ambulance. This is now designated as Station 2 of the Eastern Berks Fire Department.
The Volunteer Barto Fire Company was organized in 1924. A hand drawn hose cart and eight hundred feet of fire hose was purchased, an item currently housed at the Boyertown Museum of Historic Vehicles. It wasn’t until 1947 that the company was officially chartered and two years later the current fire station was built, and then expanded in 1970. This building serves as the headquarters of the Eastern Berks Fire Department and holds the designation of Station 1.
The all-volunteer department currently operates two 4 Guys Pumpers, two 4 Guys Tankers, a 4 Guys Attack Pumper, a Freightliner Rescue truck, a Ford Utility Truck, three Brush Trucks, and a Fire Police Van.? The Chief is Mike Mutter and the President is Scott Reitnauer.
Bally Community Ambulance was founded in 1951 by the Bally Lions Club and Goodwill Fire Company. It consisted of fifteen drivers/attendants and a 1951 Chevrolet ambulance, carrying first aid kits, a cot, and a portable stretcher, a resuscitator and bed pans. Within twenty years it had two ambulances and three Emergency Medical Technicians, and by 1985, Bally received its first “box” style ambulance. In 2010, Bally became an Advanced Life Support Service, which brought “Paramedics” to the ambulance, further strengthening an already amazing group of providers. While Mike Groff is Chief, providing oversight is a Board of Directors, led until his recent death by long time President, Newt Longacre.
