Firefighters from Schuylkill County come together for convention parade

Aug. 26—CRESSONA — In grand fashion, firefighters from across Schuylkill County put their best foot forward Saturday in the 69th Schuylkill County Volunteer Firefighters Convention parade.

Bedecked in dress blues, marching to the cadence of bagpipers and driving firetrucks built when Harry S. Truman was president, scores of firefighters earned the admiration of thousands gathered along a 1.7-mile parade route through sections of Schuylkill Haven and Cressona.

As impressive as the shiny, chrome-laden trucks were, it was the words of 78-year-old JoAnn Gerber that captured the essence of the occasion.

"This parade shows the amount of pride and dedication of the men and women in the fire service," said Gerber, who watched the parade with her 83-year-old husband Carl at the junction of Silliman and Pottsville streets in Cressona. "It takes a special kind of person to donate their time to help other people, and that touches my heart."

Gerber added, "We can all go to bed at night knowing somebody will be there in an emergency."

Four years in the making, the parade concluded a week-long series of convention events that began Aug. 20 with a memorial service to three men who demonstrated the essence of what it means to be a volunteer firefighter — Robert "Boat" Peel, past chief of Liberty Fire Company No. 4 in Schuylkill Haven; Robert "Bobby" Berger, past Cressona fire chief; and Herbert "Herbie" Berger, a Harrisburg firefighter whose roots were in Liberty Fire.

Members of the honorees' families rode in vehicles in the first division of the parade.

Under the theme, "Better Together: Two Houses, One Family," the convention was organized jointly by Good Will Hose Company in Cressona and Liberty Fire Company in Schuylkill Haven.

The fire chiefs of both boroughs — Cressona's Michael Pontician and Schuylkill Haven's Mike Donati — rode in a vehicle at the head of the parade.

Pontician and Leroy Boyer, Liberty Fire Company treasurer, co-chaired the convention.

Proud heritage

The breadth of the Schuylkill County volunteer fire service was apparent when an estimated 230 firetrucks and other apparatus lined up for several blocks around First United Methodist Church in Schuylkill Haven on Saturday, awaiting the call to begin the parade.

Onlookers were instantly drawn to the distinctive chrome vacuum globe on the front of the 1928 Ahrens Fox pumper belonging to West End Hose Company No. 7 in Pottsville.

Though it is no longer used at fires, driver Dan Kelly said the 95-year-old truck is still operational and can pump 700 gallons a minute.

Bryan Neifert shared the secret of driving the 1946 Chevy firetruck of Community Fire Department No. 1 in New Ringgold.

"You have to double-clutch it," said Neifert, whose brother Chad drove the company's vintage 1973 Seagrave firetruck.

"At events like this, you get to see new fire apparatus and old friends," Bryan Neifert said. "It's like family."

Tony Kaledas III, 29, who's been a firefighter since age 14 at Friedensburg Fire Company No. 1., admits he has firefighting in his blood.

His father, Tony Kaledas Jr., is a firefighter. And his mother, Ann, was perhaps the first woman firefighter in Schuylkill County.

"It's a good day for firefighters," said Kaledas, standing near Friedensburg's 2020 Pierce firetruck. "They've put on a good event here today."

Grand spectacle

Andrea Wenger and her 13-year-old son, Jake, managed to find a shady spot to watch the parade across from the Cressona American Legion.

Jake's anxiously awaiting for next year, when he's eligible to become a junior firefighter, joining his dad, Ed Wenger, at the Wiconisco Fire Company.

'He's ready," Andrea said. "He can't wait to help out and learn."

The Wengers were among thousands along the parade route, which meandered from Schuylkill Haven into Cressona and concluded at the Hydro-North American Extrusions plant.

A few minutes after 1 p.m., the siren on Good Will Hose Company blasted to start the parade. It took roughly an hour for the first division to reach the judge's stand across from Good Will fire station.

Phil Groody, Ashland fire chief, announced the marching units from the judge's stand.

The color guard of Robert E. Baker American Legion Post 38 in Schuylkill Haven was among the first units, followed by women of the Cressona and Schuylkill Haven American Legion post auxiliaries.

In an impressive show of unity, firemen and women from the Schuylkill Haven fire department held hands as they passed the judge's stand. They were followed by a truck from Liberty Fire Company built by KME Fire Apparatus, formerly of Nesquehoning, Carbon County.

The uniformed marching unit of West End Fire and Rescue Company in Mahanoy City was accompanied by Breslin, the unit's dalmatian mascot.

Michael J. Kitsock, president of the Schuylkill Historical Fire Society, drove a white 1950 Mack firetruck from West End Fire and Rescue Company.

Norbert Moyer, 89, Good Will's oldest member, watched the entire parade from a lawn chair next to the fire company.

One of 12 children, he'd grown up across the street from the fire company. A retired building and grounds supervisor at the Alcoa Aluminum plant behind the fire company, he's had a lifelong connection to Cressona.

"This is a great day for Cressona," said Moyer, who now lives in Friedensburg.

Marie McDonald, who lives across the street from the Good Will station, decorated her front porch with "Welcome Firefighters" banners and American flags.

Her husband, Marty McDonald, is a driver at Good Will. Marie is all too aware of the sacrifices volunteer firefighters make.

Still, she's hopeful that young people will come forward and pick up the mantle to ensure the continuation of volunteer fire companies.

"We need so many more of them," she said. "There is such a shortage."

Contact the writer: rdevlin@republicanherald.com; 570-628-6007