Mahanoy City Fire Department honors longtime volunteer as Firefighter of the Year

Dec. 19—MAHANOY CITY — A man who has dedicated more than four decades to the volunteer fire service is the 2022 Mahanoy City Fire Department Firefighter of the Year.

David D. Jarrett, owner of David D. Jarrett Funeral Home, received a plaque from borough Fire Chief Dan Markiewicz during a ceremony Friday night.

Jarrett also received a special plaque designed and created by his son Matthew Jarrett and the late Joseph "Blackie" Kufrovich.

Jarrett joined the Citizens Fire Company No. 2 and Mahanoy City EMS in 1976, following in the footsteps of his father, Donald.

Jarrett then studied and successfully became an emergency medical technician, the youngest and second registered EMT in the borough.

In presenting the award, the 2021 recipient, William Killian III, a captain with the Humane Fire Company No. 1 and borough code enforcement officer, said the EMT skills were valuable when one day Jarrett was picked up by Mahanoy City police and rushed to a home, where a baby was found in cardiac arrest.

Jarrett performed CPR on the baby as he was trained and revived the newborn.

"Because of his actions, that person is alive and well today," Killian said.

Jarrett, as a 46-year member of the department, has fought many of the most devastating fires in the borough.

He has also held many offices with the Citizens Fire Company and Mahanoy City EMS, including secretary, treasurer, truck director and assistant chief engineer on Engine 454.

Jarrett, a 1976 graduate of Mahanoy Area High School, went onto college. In 1980, he graduated from Northampton Community College's department of funeral service education.

In 1982, along with his wife, Mary Ann, he established the David D. Jarrett Funeral Home.

Killian said that for 10 years Jarrett served as a Schuylkill County deputy coroner, and from 2004 to 2008 served as the county's chief deputy coroner.

Jarrett is also a member and past officer of the borough Elks Lodge; a member and past president of the Lebanon-Schuylkill County Funeral Directors Association; and is involved with the American Red Cross Bloodmobile program.

"His commitment to serve the public goes beyond the fire service," Killian said.

In accepting the award, an emotional Jarrett said that although he is thankful for the award, being a volunteer firefighter is "part of something bigger in your life."

"I am a small little factor of the brotherhood," he said.

Jarrett also offered condolences for the two firefighters from New Tripoli in Lehigh County who died from injuries they suffered while fighting a house fire in West Penn Twp. earlier this month.

"I offer them Godspeed and their families strength," Jarrett said.

He said that he is also grateful to the support from his family over the years and is excited that his son Matthew and granddaughter Kaitlain are now third- and fourth-generation Mahanoy City firefighters from the Jarretts.

The ceremony opened with remarks from Markiewicz, who asked for a moment of silence for the two fallen firefighters.

As of Friday, the day of the ceremonies honoring Jarrett, Markiewicz said that his department had responded to 276 calls in 2022.

"We all work together to get the job done," the chief said.

He urged members to continue to be safe in the upcoming year and rely on the training they received.

"God willing we will all be here next year," he said.