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The
Beginning…
The Saxton
Volunteer Fire Company, organized in 1934,
was the first in the Broad Top region. On
August 1, 1934 Isaac M. Eichelberger, Sol
Wayne, Paul G. Mountain, Samuel E. Kelly,
Jesse W. Streepy, W. Scott Myers, Marle
Davis, Carl Bradley, Ivan R. White, and Karl
Stake became the charter members of the fire
company.
The first fire
truck was built by Jesse Streepy and for
quite a number of years it was housed in his
garage while the company held meetings in a
building that was formerly the town jail and
later, Bob’s Sporting Goods.
The fire
company later relocated to the corner of 9th
and Spring Streets. The building, which
currently houses the borough offices and the
Broad Top Senior Citizen’s Center, provided
adequate room for fund-raising activities
but could only house two engines.
The first
custom-built engine for the company was a
1936 Diamond-T pumper. This engine, still
in possession of the company, remained in
active service until 1957. The second new
engine was a 1949 GMC pumper built by
Central of St. Louis. The ‘Jimmy’
faithfully served the company until its
retirement in 1979. By 1957 the need for a
modern pumper resulted in the purchase of an
American LaFrance engine. This piece was
the first in a line of LaFrance vehicles
placed in service by the company over the
next 35 years.
Phone
Calls to Radio Dispatch…
In
the early years, calls for assistance were
taken tat the Penelec Generating Station in
East Saxton, perhaps because it was the only
place operating 24 hours a day, 7 days a
week. The siren was located adjacent to the
Huntingdon & Broad Top roundhouse on Main
Street. The H&BT provided power for the
siren. By the early 1970’s, both the
railroad and the generating station had
ceased operations, so the emergency phones
were placed in businesses and private
homes. Each location had a siren switch to
alert the company. Ambulance calls were
dispatched by contacting available crew via
telephone. Later, base radio stations with
pager activation capabilities replaced the
phone calls. By 1990, dispatch
responsibilities were turned over to Bedford
County. Huntingdon County Company 8 became
Bedford County Company 35.
New
Facilities…
In
1963, ground was broken on 8th
Street for construction of the building that
currently houses the fire company.
Dedicated August 20, 1966, the building’s
$81,000 note was paid off at mortgage
burning ceremonies on Sunday, April 30,
1972. Over the years the fire hall has seen
several additions as well as extensive
renovations to the ballroom and kitchen
areas. It continues to be an important hub
of activity for the community as well as
providing space to house six pieces of
apparatus.
A New
Mission for the Fire Company…
The fire company’s
mission to the community was greatly
expanded in 1968 when it took on the role of
providing ambulance services. The first
ambulance was a 1964 Buick, donated by local
funeral director Albert Masood. There was
little training available for EMS crews, but
that was about to change. In 1972, the
first custom built ambulance, a Chevrolet
van, was put into service. In those days,
the company responded to between 30 and 40
calls a year. In March of 1975, the first
local EMT class was held in the area and
certified seven volunteers. In April of
1980, the Saxton Volunteer Fire Company
became the first in Bedford County to
provide paramedics on emergency calls. ALS
service continues today with a roster of
well over 80 drivers, First Responders,
EMT’s, and Paramedics handling well over 300
calls each year. The company currently has
two ALS certified ambulances.
Upgrading Apparatus…
By
the early 1970’s, the company had added two
Army surplus tankers and a used delivery
truck converted into and ‘equipment’ truck.
Many veterans of the company who were active
at this time recall harrowing rides to
emergencies in the tankers and the ‘Banana
Wagon.’ By 1972, a new tanker and equipment
truck were placed into service…just in time
for extensive use in the Flood of ’72. The
tanker has been replaced with a 2005 Pierce
Saber/Contender Engine-Tanker and the
equipment truck remained in service until
1989. In 1979, a new American LaFrance
Century pumper was ordered. It was placed
in service in April of 1980 and was
officially retired from service April 12,
2004, when it was replaced by a 1994 Pierce
Saber Engine. A renovated 1981 American
LaFrance rescue-engine replaced the
equipment truck in 1989. This piece was
retired in 2004 when it was replaced by a
2004 Pierce Lance.
Beginning of the ‘Roof-Goof’ Era…
In
1988, the Saxton Volunteer Fire Company went
into the truck business with the acquisition
of a refurbished 1949 Mack 65-foot aerial.
Along with the truck came extensive training
in Aerial Practices with the first
‘Roof-Goof’ certification in 1989. By 1995,
the Mack was replaced with the current
truck, a 1975 American LaFrance 100 foot
ladder that responds to local and mutual aid
alarms. The company continues to progress
though, and is in the process of acquiring a
1992 Pierce Arrow 100 foot aerial platform,
which we will have possession of by April of
2009.
Hosting
County Conventions…
The Saxton Volunteer Fire Company, although
located in and dispatched by Bedford County,
serves all or parts of five municipalities
in Huntingdon County. This relationship
with Huntingdon County and the Huntingdon
County Fireman’s Association has led to
hosting the annual Fireman’s Convention in
1976, 1984, 1991, and 2004. 2009’s
convention will also be held in Saxton.
The Big
Burn…
265 firefighters from 23 companies and one
industrial brigade spent the weekend of June
26th-28th, 1992 in
Saxton participating in what was up until
then, and still may be, the largest
structural burn class held in Pennsylvania.
Starting at noon on Friday, June 26th,
62 separate burns were conducted in three
large structures along the 600 block of Main
Street. Evolutions continued throughout the
nighttime hours. Two other buildings on
either side of those being burned were used
in training for exposure protection. More
than 3000 feet of 5-inch hose was laid to
the site to provide adequate water supply.
This exercise was sanctioned by the
Pennsylvania State Fire Academy, who
provided instructors.
Silver
Certification…
The ‘Big Burn’ was part of ongoing training
by the Saxton Volunteer Fire Company that
resulted in another distinction. In October
of 1992, the company became the first in
Pennsylvania to certify, as a department,
nearly two dozen members as Firefighter I.
In February 2004, the company earned its
Silver Certification by having more than 75%
of its active firefighters certified as
Firefighter I or Firefighter II. Currently,
Saxton’s numbers are approximately 20
Firefighter I’s, 30 Firefighter II’s, 15
Certified Instructors, 10 Certified
Officers, 3 PA State Suppression
Instructors, 55 EMT’s, 10 First Responders,
and 4 Paramedics.
Commitment…
As
the Saxton Volunteer Fire Company celebrates
its 75th anniversary in 2009, the
membership boasts more than 100 members that
also includes a strong Junior Firefighter
program. First Responder training has just
wrapped up, and an EMT bridge class is being
planned for fall of 2008. Ambulance service
is still exclusively volunteer with 24/7
on-call crews. The Technical Rescue Team
just attended training at the Mason/Dixon
Trench Weekend, and Structural Collapse
Technician training is scheduled for this
fall. On top of all of the training,
building renovations will soon begin to
accommodate future plans. Two of the
biggest reasons for this are the new truck
and a place to house the Technical Rescue
Trailer, which contains equipment for
Trench, Rope, Structural Collapse, and
Confined Space Rescues. If this sounds like
a lot, it is only the beginning of some big
plans!
In
Remembrance…
September 2003
saw the first line of duty death when Bill
Wheeler died while responding to a motor
vehicle crash. This tragedy served as a
reminder of the dangers involved in
providing emergency services to our
community. We also remember the original
charter members and all others who served
their community as volunteers with the
Saxton Volunteer Fire Company. You and your
contributions will not be forgotten.
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