Fire Company Purchases Equipment with Event Profits
During the past two years of Kittanning Hose Company #1 fundraisers, firefighters have spent nearly $60,000 in event profits and grant dollars toward safety gear, air packs and other tools.
by Jonathan Weaver
Community residents that have attended local Kittanning Hose Company #1 fundraisers the past few years have made a difference in the safety of the fire fighters!
Fire Chief Gene Stephens said the past two years, the group has been able to purchase more than a dozen sets of gear – including coat, pants, boots and gloves –, 10 new reconditioned air packs and hand tools.
“(The turnout gear is) about a $3,000 bill – per person,” Chief Stephens said. “We didn’t compromise on any safety.
“The past two years, between the gear, air packs and accessory tools, we spent between $50-60,000.”
Air packs came from Canada – at a deal of buy nine, get one free. Air packs contain 45 minutes of air before they are refilled by Kittanning Hose Company #4.
“But, if you look at the great shape our volunteers are in, we probably get about a half-hour,” Chief Stephens laughed.
The fire company’s four major fundraising events each year include the Kittanning Trout Derby the third weekend of April, the Waves of Thunder motorcycle/car show Father’s Day Weekend, Riverbration in August, and a Fall gun raffle at the West Kittanning Fire Hall.
“We do a lot of soliciting for sponsorships and donations. I can’t thank the residents, the businesses and everyone in the surrounding communities (enough) – they couldn’t go on without (that support),” Chief Stephens said. “Businesses and people from all over the place. We don’t just sit back and ask for money.
“Without that, we probably wouldn’t be able to survive today.”
Rob Nemchek - who became a firefighter in mid-November after moving into town from Chicora - tries on an air pack during training the last week of November and receives help from Assistant Fire Chief Kevin Kline and Firefighter Patrick Shuster.
Fire department officials also utilize state fire grant money received annually and regularly apply for federal grants to ease the burden of equipment and reoccurring bills above the Borough’s $10,000 allotment.
Chief Stephens also emphasized that Kittanning Hose Company #1 is not the only entity that ‘profits’ from the community events.
“Everything we do brings a lot of people into the community, for more than one day,” Chief Stephens said. “We have people come in from South Carolina, North Carolina, Florida, Michigan, Ohio, New Jersey – from all over.”
Firefighters are already organizing the annual trout derby – held at Cowanshannock Creek in Rayburn Township. This year’s event is to be held April 29-30.
A pair of new firefighters tried on a pair of the air packs last week.
New Firefighter Rob Nemchek – originally from Chicora – was sworn into the department in mid-November and was at his first training the week after Thanksgiving.
“This is all new to me,” Nemchek said. “Whenever I moved here (in February), I wanted to be part of the town. I wanted to be active.
“It’s great – everyone seems to be real-friendly here. I look forward to seeing what all I can do.”
The 2000 Karns City graduate, Nemchek has also been in the U.S. Army Reserves since 2010.
Firefighters have also opened a fund for a new fire truck in the future.
Kittanning Borough, Local News | jweaver December 3, 2016
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