People freeze up when they hear volunteer fire companies are looking for new recruits. They think that, if they volunteer, they’ll be on the front lines fighting fires.
Not so, stated Scott Gullo, chief of the Friendship Fire Company of Geigertown. Much of the work that is required to run a successful fire company has nothing to do with firefighting, he pointed out. At present, he said, “we have 20 active volunteers on the roster and, besides dealing with emergencies, they are stressed out attending township meetings, training, performing maintenance on the trucks and the building, and participating in fund-raising events. What I would like to see is a better balance among our volunteers: 20 volunteers to run emergencies and another 20 to run fund-raising events and perform administrative duties.”
On Saturday, April 8, the Geigertown Fire Company will seek to address this problem at the company’s first ever open house/recruitment event. From, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., the firehouse at 3433 Haycreek Road, will open its garage bays and the area outside to the public with a host of activities, including a live mock fire building demonstration at 1 p.m., and a vehicle extrication, jaws-of-life demonstration at 3 p.m. Also on the agenda is the appearance of Amity Fire & Rescue Company’s smokehouse fire prevention trailer and a series of emergency service lectures by members of the Elverson-Honeybrook Area Emergency Medical Service.
To give attendees an idea of what it costs to operate a fire company, he added, “We’ll be laying lay out on the ground firefighting gear and rescue tools. Each tool will have a price tag, showing how much each would cost to outfit one firefighter,” stated Gullo.
But, he added, “without a doubt, the big emphasis on that day will be recruiting efforts. Yes, we do need firefighters but we also need people willing to help out with fund-raising events and with administrative duties. We appreciate any time you can give us,” said Gullo, “whether it be 10 or 20 hours a month.”
Throughout the year, Friendship Fire Company of Geigertown conducts a series of fund-raising events, including basket bingo, flower and plant sales, chicken barbecues, hoagie sales and breakfast buffets. “The breakfast buffets are particularly successful,” Gullo noted. “Our hall is packed with people in these four hours. However,” he pointed out, “the breakfasts place a heavy burden and stress on our volunteers. Two hours before the doors open to the public, they have to be on hand to prep, cook, clean, set up tables and chairs. After the breakfast is over, they stay another two hours to clean up, throw away trash, dismantle the tables and put away the chairs. My hat goes off to these volunteers.”
Rain date for the open house is Sunday, April 9.
