National Fire Prevention Week was Oct. 4-10.

Whitehall Township Fire Department Chief David Nelson, who became a firefighter at the age of 17, was named Whitehall fire chief in 2016, shortly after the passing of former Chief Robert Benner. He said the role of fire chief has changed over the years.

Decades ago, firefighters were given equipment without any training, and the chief didn’t need any special certifications. These days, there are a multitude of training sessions both the volunteers and the chief must complete, and without these qualifications, a fire chief can be sued or imprisoned if things go wrong.

WTFD responds to more than 1,350 calls annually, with an average of four per day, and each year, that number increases. Nelson contributes the rise in the number of calls to the 800 businesses in the area, including the Lehigh Valley Mall, all of which draw customers and heavier traffic; MacArthur Road and Route 22; and an increase in the number of residents and homes.

“The fire department is an all-hazard mitigator,” Nelson said. “This means we handle all emergencies when others cannot - from fires, vehicle extrication, house pump-outs, animal rescues, gas leaks and any other emergency that you can think of.”

One contributing factor to the volunteer shortage is the amount of time it requires. Raising a family usually requires two incomes to get by, and it is hard for a parent to find the time to fight fires, train and participate in other events.

Although volunteers can join the department at age 16, they cannot become interior firefighters until they turn 18, when many are graduating from high school and enrolling in college, beginning careers or even moving away. Once they get married and have families, finding time to volunteer becomes even more difficult.

Nelson believes one thing all volunteer firefighters have in common is the “drive to help others and work together as a cohesive team.”

Firefighters have to spend a good deal of time participating in training. For example, exterior firefighter training requires 40 to 60 hours. Interior firefighters must complete a minimum of 188 training hours; drivers/pump operators, 24 to 40 hours; extrication training, 40 hours; and state-mandated hazardous material awareness training for all firefighters, eight hours.

WTFD requires volunteers to have 80 hours of training each year through weekly Monday night training sessions. Additional training is required for dive rescue and other specialized tasks.

Firefighters have additional responsibilities as well, such as cleaning the equipment at the station, writing reports and organizing and presenting educational programs for schools and day cares.

Besides the satisfaction of saving lives and giving back to the community, there are some other benefits to becoming a volunteer firefighter. WTFD firefighters are eligible for a Length of Service Award program, life insurance, tax breaks for members who are Whitehall residents and a small stipend to help volunteers cover expenses such as gasoline. Volunteers also receive uniforms and are invited to attend banquets and picnics to encourage camaraderie and include family members.

Nelson said, in addition to volunteer firefighters, they are always in need of volunteers to help with fundraising, truck drivers/operators and fire police. For more information, visit the Whitehall Township Bureau of Fire Facebook page or go to whitehalltownshipfire.org to download the application.

Like the fire safety education program, WTFD’s biggest fundraiser, the Haunted Parkway - which has been held for 20 years - cannot occur this October due to COVID-19 and social distancing requirements. On average, the Haunted Parkway usually brings in a profit of nearly $30,000, which is used to supply the department with uniforms, equipment, training and the annual banquet. Nelson said the firefighters look forward to the Haunted Parkway each year and are hoping it can return in 2021.

When the best possible outcome is achieved when responding to an emergency, Nelson said it is “the best feeling in the world,” but when things go wrong, it can be devastating.

“There are moments in life you will never forget, such as delivering a baby, saving someone’s life and stopping a fire before it destroys a building,” he said. “Then there are also the horrible things you see as well. That is one of the reasons I believe the fire department is your second family - they have seen the things you have and can help you through hard times. This job has never felt like a job to me, which is the greatest job to have.”