AJ Community

November 4, 2009

Dalton Fire Company requests volunteers

Stephanie Webber Abington Journal Intern

DALTON - The Dalton Fire Company is looking for new volunteers to help its Station 5 posting. Since the beginning, the Dalton Fire Company has been consistent with keeping it all volunteer. Members hope to keep it this way with the help of interested residents of the community.

The Dalton Fire Company originally began to serve and protect its surrounding community in 1898. The all-volunteer membership covers the grounds of the Dalton Borough, and the townships of LaPlume, West Abington, Glenburn, Abington and North Abington. The station is also dispatched through the Lackawanna County 911 center. Every year, the station experiences about 250 fire-related and 500 ambulance-related calls and performs educational services by promoting public fire safety to local schools.

Soon to be president of the company, John Holbert, is a retired salesman who has been working with the Dalton Company for more than 50 years. He is hoping people will consider participating in this opportunity. “The board of directors and I are trying to get individuals from the community with different background facets for this business. We need people for everyday run of the company. Some people have misconceptions of volunteering but they don’t necessarily have to fight fires and put up ladders.”

According to Holbert, some examples of volunteers can include a retired CPA, an accountant willing to give three to four hours a month to help with the station’s finances or even a retired insurance executive to oversee everything briefly each month. “I’m sure there are people out in the community that have these expertise. So we are hoping people will step forward to give us a hand.”

Those interested are encouraged to join the company but have to meet the criteria of being at least 14 years of age. Once in contact, volunteers will be given all of the training and education needed in order to fulfill an overall understanding of the station. Specific volunteering can involve responding to emergency calls or interacting as a social member. A volunteer can respond to emergency calls as a firefighter, operator, emergency medical technician/aide or as a fire police officer. Volunteering as a social member would be directed toward administrative personnel, ladies auxiliary or fundraisers.

Putting in time and effort for the station’s fundraising events is another way to contribute. The Dalton Fire Company is funded each year with the combination of numerous events. Helping out with horse shows, bingo, dinners and a yearly carnival are ways the community can pitch in. “The women that raise money for the station on Monday night bingo need help too,” said Holbert. Volunteers in years past have included students, retirees and professionals. Holbert doesn’t want people to think that the station is a close-knit operation, because this assumption is far from the truth. “The station is really a nice organization of camaraderie. We get along with neighboring companies and we all support each other. We are just trying to get as many hands we can get our hands on because we need the help.”

Members of the community are welcome to stop by the firehouse on drill nights every Tuesday at 7 p.m. to learn more. Tuesday nights tend to be the best time to pick up an application, take a tour of the station or talk with a member. The Dalton Fire Company is located on 109 South Turnpike Road. For more info, contact the station at 570.563.1313 or visit www.dfcfire.com.

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