On the evening of Monday, January 23, 2012 forty generous residents of Flourtown and Erdenheim, Pennsylvania were surprised to find a fire truck in front of their house and two or three Flourtown firefighters at their front door.  On most days firefighters only come to your house when things are going badly, but on this day they were there for a different reason.

That reason was to thank these residents for their generosity as donors in the 2011-2012 Flourtown Fire Company fund drive.  According to fire company Vice President, Dean Seltzer, fund drive donations have fallen off dramatically over the past three years as the economy has tanked.  To help reverse this trend, the Fire Company initiated a program this year to recognize its most generous residential and business donors.

As part of this program, residential donors giving $75 or more get an LED votive candle with the Fire Company logo, and those giving $150 or more get an even nicer LED candle.  Chief George Wilmot stated that the Fire Company decided to go with LED candles as a thank you gift because unattended candles are a leading cause of house fires.  The reason for the firefighters neighborhood visits on the 23^rd was to deliver the first round of these LED candles.

Fire Company President Tim Ernst emphasized the fact that 100% of the fund drive donations go directly to the Fire Company, unlike certain other fund drive mailers where only a small fraction of the donations actually make it through to the sponsoring organization.

Flourtown personnel, Assistant Chief Chris Buckley, Captain Chris Manning, Leitenant John Redington,and firefighters: Dean Seltzer, Kevin Davis, Tim Ernst, Tyler Buckley, and Sal Santangelo all took part in stabilizing victims and extricating them from the train and the severely-damaged vehicle. Chief George Wilmot and his daughter, Lexi Wilmot were part of the scenario’s observation team and “victim” volunteers. Photos by Bob Wilmot, Jr.

Flourtown Fire Company and Wyndmoor Hose Company were dispatched at approximately 3:30PM to reports of a car crash into a building around 613 Bethlehem Pike in Erdenheim. Multiple callers reported two individuals trapped in the vehicle and extensive damage to the building. Squad 6 and Engine 6 responded along with Rescue 82. Stabilization of the vehicle and patients was followed by a decision to cut and flap the entire roof of the vehicle so extrication of the driver who was laying on the drivers door and a passenger could take place. Following extrication, and removal of the vehicle by Flourtown Texaco, lumber from Rittenhouse Lumber across the street was used to stabilize the building which had a large portion of its street facing wall destroyed in the crash.

Wyndmoor Fire Co. Chief Fran DePaul, Oreland Deputy Chief Don Serianni, Community Day Organizer Teresa Buzniak, Flourtown Fire Company, President, Tim Ernst and Deputy Chief Springfield Ambulance Jerry Edwards and Police Corporal Ray Vesci with the awards presented by the Community to honor the emergency responders of Springfield Township.

On the Tenth Anniversary of the horrific attacks on the our nation on 9/11/01, the community of Springfield Township gather to remember all those who lost their lives in NYC, at the Pentagon and in Shanksville, PA. Flourtown Fire Company along with the other two township fire companies, Oreland Volunteer Fire Company and Wyndmoor Hose Company, Springfield Ambulance and Springfield Township Police Department were also honored as our local emergency responders. The public enjoyed free food, and information from many community organizations as they have for the last 17 years in beautiful Cisco Park in Erdenheim, PA.

Torrential rains, a bit of wind, tornado warnings and more rain, Hurricane Irene which moved into the Delaware Valley on August 27 and 28, 2011 had it all. Flourtown Fire Company responded to several emergency calls including several water rescues of drivers from their vehicles, electrical fires in homes and downed wires. Our neighboring fire company, Barren Hill, in Whitemarsh Township had its hands full with rescues of residents from the western side of the Wissahickon Creek along Stenton Avenue. Meanwhile Flourtown’s water rescue team which was split amongst both Squad 6 and Engine 6 were requested to conduct several searches along the banks of the Wissahickon Creek for several missing residents. It was an unprecedented storm and several members even bedded down at the firehouse for the night on Saturday night, although no one slept very much. Over 6 inches of rain swelled area streams and creek beds and causing flooding throughout Springfield Township.

(Photo by Bob Wilmot, Jr.)

Some future firefighters received hands-on training and experience as part of Wissahickon Fire Company’s annual Firefighter Camp. In the photo above, Chief George Wilmot is joined by Deputy Chief Mike Frye with three of the camp graduates, from left to right, Lexi Wilmot, Mitchell Seltzer and Jake Frye.

The popular Firefighter Camp is a supervised 4-evening camp designed to give participants a taste of firefighting. The 2011 Firefighter Camp was held July 5, 12, 19 and 26 – 6:30 to 9:30 pm. At camp, participants learned:

• Protective gear
• Basic fire behavior/tactics
• Use of Extinguishers
• SCBAs, supply lines & attack lines
• Live fire (vehicle car prop) training
• Search and rescue
• How to use tools, ladders, ropes and knots

Under close supervision, participants will don protective gear and utilize fire apparatus/equipment to extinguish actual training fires. This experience will incorporate the same basic principles that the volunteer and career firefighters of Montgomery County follow every day as they protect our community. Flourtown Fire Company would like to thank Wissahickon Fire Company for hosting the camp and its sponsors Schneider Plumbing, Ambler Savings & Loan, Feast & Fancy catering, and B&Z Cabinets. The camp is hosted by the Wissahickon Fire Company, and assisted by the North Penn, Flourtown and Centre Square Fire Companies.

See a photo slideshow here or below: