Up Close &Personal

from Fire News Pennsylvania, Jan./Feb. 2023

by Fire News

Editorial

Gratz 1st Annual Holiday Parade

1st annual Holiday Parade in Gratz was held on November26, 2022. - Fire News photo by Seth Lasko

Up Close &Personal

FirefighterBoyle from the Veterans Affairs ButlerFire Department preparing to fight a two-alarm residential fire in the City of Butleron December20, 2022. - Fire News photo by Artie Osniak

Page 24, Fire News, January/February 2023

Allison Hook & LadderInstallation

Pennsylvania Fire CommissionerChas McGarvey served as Installing Officerat the December2022 meeting of the Allison Hook and Ladder Company 2. Cosgrove Jones was elected President. Mike Kraska was elected Captain. Otherofficers pictured (left to right) are John Peskie Trustee; T.J. Wolcott, Secretary; Brad Myers, 2nd Vice President; President Jones; Steve Austin 1st Vice President; Captain Kraska; TylerLloyd, First Lieutenant; and Jason Lloyd, Firemen’s Relief Delegate. (Not pictured is Don Moorhead, 2nd Lieutenant.) President Jones intends to maintain the course set by the late Barry Buskey who oversaw the return of the Allison to active status in the Harrisburg Bureau of Fire. Captain Kraska indicated he will seek to recruit firefighters forthe company and will expand training opportunities formembers. CommissionerMcGarvey stressed the importance of firefighterhealth and safety forall of the firefighters in the Commonwealth in wake of the tragic events of the week in Pennsylvania. - Fire News photo by Steve Austin

New Hanover Santa Run

New HanoverFire Company did theirSanta Run around New Hanover Township recently. Santa and his helpers did a fantastic job spreading holiday cheer(and candy canes) throughout the township. - Fire News photo by Regina Jelski

LowerMacungie Township Fire Department Open House

The LowerMacungie Township Fire Department open house was held October8, 2022. - Fire News photos by Steve Lenz

Annual Holiday Express

UpperDauphin human services held its annual holiday express forless fortunate parade and toy donation delivery. -Fire News photo by Seth Lasko

Obituaries

Fire Chief William (Bill) Maciorowski

Fire Chief William ‘Bill’Maciorowski, 55, of Avoca, passed away unexpectedly on October 27, 2022, at the Westpfalz Hospital, Kaiserslautern, Germany, where he was stationed as Fire Chief of the Rhineland Pfatz Fire Department. He was born and raised in Avoca on April 21, 1967 and was the son of John Maciorowski and the late Frances (Nolan) Maciorowski, who died January 1st, 2007.

Bill was a graduate of Pittston Area High School class of 1985. He grew up as a proud volunteer firefighter with the Avoca Hose Company 1 (Station 112). Chief Maciorowski started his professional career in 1997 as an Air Force Firefighter serving in Vogelweh, Germany and Grand Forks Air Force Base, North Dakota. He later served as Deputy Fire Chief for Fort Lee Fire and Emergency Services of Fort Lee, Virginia. Once he completed his service to his country, he worked for Donald Wescott Fire Protection District, Schriever AFB Colorado Springs, 102nd Fighter Wing Fire and Emergency Services, Otis Air National Guard Base, Massachusetts, and found a home with the Department of Army in 2007 as an Assistant Fire Chief at Fort Drum, NY.

Chief Maciorowski took on more responsibility as the Deputy Fire Chief at Fort Lee, VA and was promoted to lead the Fort Leavenworth Fire Department as the Fire Chief in 2013. Chief Maciorowski always wanted to finish his career where he started. In April of 2021, he was selected to lead one of the Army’s largest and most diverse fire departments in Germany. Chief Maciorowski had many accomplishments throughout his career and his mentorship inside and outside of the government will be everlasting.

In addition to his father, Chief Maciorowski is survived by his brother John, Jr., of Duluth, MN and his sister Christine and her husband Edward Zarnowski, of Canton, PA. Also surviving are his nieces and nephews; Kaitlyn, Cailley, and Riley Zarnowski, his aunt Catherine Gatto and her husband Nick of Duryea, his aunt Mary Stupak of Connecticut, and many cousins. - Submitted by John Cudo, Northeastern Pennsylvania Volunteer Firemen’s

Federation Publicity Committee Chairman

Penn Hills’Nicholas A. Theofilis

Penn Hills Paramedic and Firefighter Nicholas A. Theofilis was laid to rest on December 3, 2022, after he was killed in a motor vehicle accident involving the Penn Hills ambulance he was driving on November 27, 2022. He was 23.

EMTs, paramedics, firefighters and police from around the region gathered to say their goodbyes at a funeral service held at St. Susanna Catholic Church. he was then escorted to his final resting spot in a Penn Hills cemetery.

Nick was well loved in both the emergency services community and the community. Nick started his EMS career at White Oak EMS. Once he become a Paramedic, he fulfilled his dream of serving his community with Penn Hills EMS. Nick was also a member of the Rosedale Fire Department in Penn Hills.

Nick is survived by his parents, Peter and Lori Theofilis, brother Max Theofilis, paternal grandmother, Angela ‘Yia Yia’Theofilis and maternal grandmother Delores Patrizi, numerous aunts, uncles, and cousins.

Page 26, Fire News, January/February 2023 Obituaries

It is with deep regret and sorrow that the Harrisburg Bureau of Fire and the Allison Hook and Ladder Company announces the death of a real legend. Retired Driver/Operator/Firefighter Barry J. Buskey. Barry passed in his sleep, October 22, 2022

Born to a Harrisburg firefighting family, his father, the late Joseph F. Buskey was appointed on Dec 1, 1942. Barry’s fire department roots go back to the glory days of the early 1900s through 1930s with many family members active with the old Susquehanna Engine 9 on South Cameron Street. Grandparents Emmanuel Bowman and Fred Longfelt, who lived in the old 1st Ward below Sycamore Street and for decades drove the big white horses and then the motorized steamer and hose wagon.

Barry joined the Allison Hook & Ladder No.12 on South 14th Street. Following a stint of active duty in the U.S. Army, “B.J.” hired out to the city working for the Electrical Bureau as an electrician. Following successfully passing the Civil Service exam he and the late Donny Conway were hired by Fire Chief Robert Houseal, Sr. on September 10, 1966. He was given Badge No. 4.

My grandfather was an avid truckman and always assigned his new hires to his three ladder companies. BJ and Conway were both sent up to the Reily firehouse (today’s fire museum) as riders on Ladder 3. Barry enjoyed his time on B shift at the Reily but as fire activity increased dramatically, he transferred to Squad 1 in November 1968 when several openings occurred. Ayear later, he was re-assigned by Fire Chief Elmer Shover to Allison working on Ladder 2.

This was at a time in Harrisburg’s history when our “War Years” were now full of run and fire activity. With vastly improved fireground tactics evolving, Assistant Chief Charles ‘Chet’ Henry was pacing the whole department through an extensive training program. Chief Henry quickly saw in Barry and John Brindle, Sr., leadership capabilities and a strong desire to learn as well as assist in training, and both firemen became deeply involved as fire instructors in and outside the Bureau of Fire.

In 1971, Harrisburg purchased Tower 1, the first of many Mack Aerialscopes. Like a sponge he quickly learned everything he could on the operation and maintenance of these tremendously rugged aerial trucks. Following Tower 1’s arrival, BJ was assigned as principal training instructor on the new Tower 1.

Following Chet’s retirement in 1976, Barry opted for a change and bid over to C Platoon, driving Engine 14 from his favorite firehouse; the Allison. Two years later following the tragic death of tillerman Bill Corish, Barry bid down to the Hope No. 2 in the tiller seat behind Driver George Davis on the 1967 American LaFrance 100’ aerial truck staying on C Platoon.

In this period of his career, Barry’s dynamic personality and strong leadership ability surfaced to the forefront of the Bureau of Fire when he was elected as President of IAFF Local 428 at the end of 1978. Leading his negotiating team, through an Act 111 arbitration hearing, Local 428 was awarded a reduction in working hours from 48 to 42 hours per week and added a fourth platoon (D) to handle those reduced hours on a new schedule.

During Barry’s tumultuous four years as President, the city was extremely close to filing for bankruptcy when a young Stephen R. Reed took office of Mayor for his first term. Led by Barry’s strong leadership, the Bureau of Fire membership worked hard during 1982 canvasing every neighborhood in the city gathering well over 50,000 signatures on petitions against any layoffs of firefighters. On the evening of December 9, Barry led hundreds of off-duty firefighters supported by local volunteer firemen, family and friends, marching from the Paxton firehouse to City Hall where they presented their case to city council. Due to his tenacity, no member of the Fire Bureau ever got a ‘layoff notification.’

During BJ’s tenure as President, he worked at Engine 8, Engine 11 and Ladder 1. With the closure of the Paxton in January 1983, Barry bid driving Tower 1 again on the C Platoon now out of Station 2.

For the next two years Barry’s leadership, persuasive ability and persistence working with the Reed administration resulted in re-opening the downtown Paxton firehouse on February 24, 1986.

Following his four-year tenure as Local 428’s President, Barry was elected to the Presidency of the Pennsylvania Professional Firefighters Association (PPFFA), representing nearly all of the career IAFF locals, throughout the Commonwealth. Spending more time now on Harrisburg’s Capitol Hill than in the firehouse, BJ was very instrumental as a lobbyist working with legislatures of both parties crafting important legislation such as sorely needed pay increases to older firemen and widows on meagre pensions to cancer presumption.

When the Paxton reopened in 1986, Barry bid the driving job on a newly arrived 1985 Sutphen 95foot aerial tower on the C Platoon. He wheeled the big tower-ladder until he retired from the Fire Bureau on December 17, 2000.

While PPFFAPresident, Barry made his only attempt at a higher union office in 1996 but was narrowly defeated in a run for the IAFF 4th District Vice Presidency. Following his retirement from the HFD in 2000, he remained as PPFFA’s President until his retirement from his position in 2004, following an unprecedented 20 years wielding the gavel.

Barry however, would always remain deeply involved in some capacity with the fire service. Being one of the last remaining living members of the old and proud Allison Hook & Ladder No. 2, he along with Jason Lloyd and others quietly worked to re-invigorate the company and continued to tap the Allison gavel as the company’s President, rebuilding the company into what it is today as the most active and prominent of the last three remaining Harrisburg volunteer companies.

On a personal note, I met Barry in the early 1970s. When Progress’ brand new Mack Aerialscope arrived in late 1974, Barry was our instructor. He quickly became one of my true mentors. The following year I was appointed to the Fire Bureau and worked with BJ on the C Platoon. His mentorship continued in other ways, not just in the firehouse but also as a wonderfully respectful human being. In 1989, I won the election to be President of Local 428, and with little experience in labor affairs, BJ quickly took me under his wing and continued his mentoring.

During the past months, with his health declining, it would only be a matter of time until the final phone call or email arrived. Now with great sadness, a heavy heart and yes, more than a few tears, I note the passing of the last great mentor of my life’s many lessons.

My sincere and deepest condolences to Roberta, Mike and the Buskey family.

Rest in peace, Big Brother. We’ll see you again someday. - Submitted by Steve Austin