Nan Perna, of Alburtis, recently celebrated 30 years of service with the Alburtis Fire Department.

Perna received a trophy and red blanket embroidered with "Nan Perna, Alburtis Fire Department, 30 Years Service."

The trophy is a bronze replica of a female firefighter holding a helmet in her right hand with her hair tied up in a ponytail, dressed in firefighting turnout gear complete with glowing fluorescent yellow stripes around the jacket and boots. When viewed from the front, the trophy strikingly resembles Perna dressed in her gear.

"Look, it's a female," Perna said, smiling as she picked up the trophy.

Other awards she received for firefighting were for five, 10, 15, 20 and 25 years of service. Perna also received an award for serving as the president of the Lehigh County Volunteer Association and for serving on the Lesta Committee in Lehigh County.

Currently the Alburtis Fire Department safety officer, Perna is grateful she has never been injured fighting a fire and says it is very dangerous.

Perna does not feel special because she is a woman.

"You just do it. Your adrenalin goes so fast you just do it," Perna said.

Perna decided to become a firefighter during the aftermath of a tornado. Raymond Ritter, a friend of Perna's, was running the fire company kitchen and Perna was a kitchen employee.

As the firefighters were cleaning up the aftermath of the tornado, it seemed like they never went home, Perna recalled. They closed the kitchen that night and Perna went home.

When returning to work the next day, Perna saw the firefighters were still there. Perna asked what the firefighters were doing and was told they were gathering debris from trees, bushes and homes from the tornado and caring for people. They did not quit working until they were completely finished. Some firefighters would come back to the firehouse and take a nap while others worked. When rested, they returned and others came and rested. They worked consistently throughout the night and the next day.

Watching the firefighters and their dedication moved Perna.

"I stayed and helped them clean everything up when they returned." Perna said.

And it was then she decided to become a firefighter.

Perna set a personal goal of serving 15 years as an honored member of the fire company, but when she reached the goal, she just kept going.

Perna has no plans to retire and does not think she ever will.

Thinking back over the years, Perna remembers all the officers and how she saw them go up the line. You have two families; the one at home and the one at the firehouse.

"You are a family; you have to be because you depend upon each other in life or death situations all the time. Sometimes you must put the firefighter family above your family at home, but your family at home waits for you," Perna said.

What Perna most enjoys about being a firefighter are the rewards such as what she is able to do for the borough as well as the surrounding municipalities and boroughs.

Perna is proud to be a firefighter.

Perna enjoys knowing she is able to do what firefighters do, because not all people can, not even some men, she said. And she likes being recognized by children as "that lady firefighter."

During her 30 years of service Perna raised two children, a daughter Meghan Bleiler, now married, and a son Christopher, also married. Christopher and his wife Dana have two young daughters. The family lives in Alburtis.

What Perna likes least about being a firefighter is getting up in the middle of the night when it's zero below and responding to a call.

"The hardest part of being a firefighter is leaving your family at home during an emergency or when a storm comes and you have to be at the firehouse and you want to be with your family. You are torn.

"When a call comes in you must leave meals, restaurants, kids games and anything and everything. You must be dedicated and you must have your family's support.

"Your family at home is dedicated, too. Your family waits up for you when you must leave to answer a call. They wait for you." Perna said.

Perna is a second-generation firefighter. Her dad is a volunteer firefighter in New Jersey.

Perna's son Christopher asked permission to become a firefighter many times over the years but Perna always said, "No, it is too dangerous."

After Bob Mader died three years ago, Christopher Perna volunteered his services with the fire department, making him a third generation firefighter.

Advice Perna would give to anyone considering being a firefighter is "do it.

"If you have the dedication and the time and the heart to go into it, do it."

Perna said training is provided by the fire department every Tuesday evening.

There is a lot of training as firefighters must be certified. Training is ongoing. Everybody trains together.

The rewards are great, Perna said. And the family is close, devoted and dedicated, as is your family at home.