[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 99 (Tuesday, July 26, 1994)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: July 26, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
            THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF FIRST WARD FIRE COMPANY

                                 ______


                         HON. JOSEPH M. McDADE

                            of pennsylvania

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, July 26, 1994

  Mr. McDADE. Mr. Speaker, on August 6, the First Ward Fire Company 
will celebrate its 50th anniversary of service to the community of 
South Williamsport, PA.
  This important anniversary recognizes the contributions of hundreds 
of firefighters who have donated their time and energy to the 
protection of the community. Their contribution to the safety and well-
being of South Williamsport cannot be overstated.
  The First Ward Fire Company was organized on October 5, 1944. Its 
first vehicle was a donated hearse and civil defense pump trailer. In 
1945, the company purchased its first new truck, a John Bean high 
pressure fog truck. In its early years, the company supported itself 
with fish fries, wartime blood drives, carnivals and circuses.
  New and improved equipment was purchased in the succeeding decades, 
and fund raising expanded to donations, direct business gifts, annual 
coin card drives, grants from the borough council and the levying of a 
fire tax, which was shared by all three borough fire companies. This 
cooperation brought about the formation of the South Williamsport Fire 
Department.
  The company now resides at a fire station built in 1973 after 
flooding from Hurricane Agnes damaged the fire station beyond repair. 
The company has continued its growth with the purchase of modern new 
equipment and the development of a Water Rescue Team.
  The Fire Company was instrumental in developing a modern fire service 
in the 1980s and was a founding member of the Central Area Fire Chiefs' 
Association which operates the largest weekend training experience on 
the east coast.
  The best American traditions of neighbors caring for each other and 
commitment to community are represented during the first 50 years of 
the First Ward Fire Company. I am proud to represent the men and women 
of the South Williamsport area who have played a part through the years 
in the development of the Fire Company. I want to congratulate them for 
their contribution, and express my hope that the company experiences 
continued growth.

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