Pennsylvania pioneers as the state with the first volunteer fire department. In 1736, Benjamin Franklin established the Union Fire Company in Philadelphia, and shortly thereafter, volunteer stations popped up across the colonies. According to the Pennsylvania Office of the State Fire Commissioner, Pennsylvania still leads as the state with the most fire departments in the country, both as career and volunteer stations.

A volunteer firefighter is someone who fully participates in fire service but does not receive any monetary compensation for his or her efforts. Although career firefighters are paid to participate, volunteer firefighters are still held to the same standards of training and knowledge required to be a part of the department.

Catasauqua and North Catasauqua both function as full volunteer departments. The two boroughs recently regionalized and combined equipment and firefighters alike, while maintaining their separate identities and history.

The common home base for the dual departments is the firehouse located at the municipal complex, 90 Bridge St., Catasauqua. It is maintained under the guidance of the two chiefs, Richard Hertzog Jr. (Catasauqua) and Roger Scheirer (North Catasauqua).

Members of these departments are a necessity and hold great responsibility on their shoulders. The volunteers must go through extensive training to handle the type of situations they are placed in, whether that be live- active burns or first-aid response. Under the direction of the two chiefs, volunteers will complete 344 hours of training on their own time to achieve the basic grounds of fire rescue services.

The volunteers will begin their training with courses focused on interior firefighter efforts. This section alone requires 184 hours of training, and during this phase, members will review HAZMAT awareness, fire ground support and courses on live-active burns. The dual fire departments work on this training every Thursday and Sunday until classes are complete.

Next, volunteers will learn how to drive and operate emergency vehicles through a series of courses. The two departments are fortunate enough to have emergency vehicles that are vast in their capabilities, but require specific attention to detail as operations are complicated and complex. Learning how to become a driver/operator will require 152 hours of training. This will include lessons on aerial operations, pump classes and apparatus maintenance.

Firefighters offer a vast number of services aside from fire control and prevention, requiring members to be well educated on various aid responses. The firefighter in training will continue courses in CPR and first aid, which will be another eight hours of work. This, however, is only the beginning for the brave civilian, as in-house training is common and frequent.

Catasauqua and North Catasauqua have a blend of highly skilled and compassionate volunteers, many of whom serve their community in the evenings while maintaining day jobs.

Devon Troxell has been with the Catasauqua department for about six years, and during the day, he is a supply chain management representative for a local organization. He quickly caught up with his training and is now an integral part of his station.

Zachary Scheirer has been with the North Catasauqua department for seven years and follows in the footsteps of his father, Chief Scheirer. During the day, he works as a landscaper, but he still finds the strength needed to attend his fire and rescue volunteer position whenever needed.

Sam Safadi has been with the Catasauqua department for nine years and is a police officer in another county by trade. In eighth grade, he was made aware that an individual only needed to be 14 years old to join as a junior firefighter and quickly found himself at the department just a short time later.

John Lutte joined the Catasauqua department after he retired from his career. Although not common, Lutte proves that age does not limit a person’s ability to start a new path and achieve the unthinkable. He brings with him a wealth of life experience and a young spirit.

These are only a few members who have excelled in the fire departments thanks to their fearless and strong team leaders, such as Catasauqua Fire Captain Eric Beers, Hertzog and Scheirer, to name a few.

The two departments have come together in a cooperative and impactful manner under this leadership and have earned unwavering credibility. In fact, the departments have become a Rapid Intervention Team, meaning they have gone through specific training to quickly get inside a structure and rescue firefighters caught in danger. There are only about two to three departments with this team in the greater Lehigh Valley.

The stoic volunteer firefighter’s spirit blazes brighter than any flame they must conquer. Their dedication to serving the community is undisputed and complemented by their willingness to share what limited time is left in their schedules. Today, volunteers are needed across the nation to help keep response times down and success rates high.

To volunteer with the Catasauqua and North Catasauqua fire departments, an individual must be 14 years old to join as a junior member or 18 years old as an adult member. Aside from the training mentioned, background checks, state police checks and child abuse clearances are required and must be maintained every three years.

There are also opportunities to join as a social member. This type of volunteer will assist with tasks around the station, such as cleaning the equipment. Anyone who is interested in volunteering can stop by the firehouse, 90 Bridge St., on a Monday evening to speak with the crew and chiefs about opportunities.