Shippensburg Emergency Services Building

C12 — The Shippensburg Sentinel, Shippensburg, Pa., Wednesday, June 13, 2012

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CommunityimpacT

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Wednesday, June 13, 2012, The Shippensburg Sentinel, Shippensburg, Pa. — C1

Shippensburg Area EMS Vigilant Hose Fire Co. #1

The Shippensburg Emergency Services Building

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C2 — The Shippensburg Sentinel, Shippensburg, Pa., Wednesday, June 13, 2012

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Wednesday, June 13, 2012, The Shippensburg Sentinel, Shippensburg, Pa. — C11

Old facilities posed many problems for crews

By Matthew Ciccocioppo Sentinel Reporter mciccocioppo@cumberlink.com

Matthew Ciccocioppo/The Sentinel

The Shippensburg Emergency Services Building.

Dear Shippensburg Community, As we prepare for our move into the new Shippensburg Emergency Services Building, we wanted to take the opportunity to thank our community for their support during our recent endeavors. For the Vigilant Hose Company, this building has been a dream, planned and saved for over 25 years, as the company began rapidly outgrowing their location of nearly 170 years.

For Shippensburg Area EMS, this building became a necessity, after a move into their temporary home on King Street in 2007 left them with no garage structure to protect ambulances and crews from the elements and dilapidated office space.

This building would not have been possible without the support of our community, local businesses and of course, the men and women who tirelessly serve our two organizations. We are a group comprised of families who have served for generations. We are col-

Open House Schedule

Shippensburg Emergency Services ribbon cutting and open house schedule for June 16: 1 p.m. – Vigilant’s closing ceremony for 129 E. King Street Station 1:20 p.m. – Shippensburg Emergency Services Vigilant Hose Company Personnel March and Parade of Apparatus (Vigilant will travel up South Prince Street

lege students who came seeking an education and found a home.

We are educators, veterans, coaches, mechanics and police officers. We are a diverse group of people brought together by one driving force, a desire to protect and serve our community, our friends, our neighbors and our families. The Shippensburg Emergency Services Building is much more than just a fire house and EMS station, it is a testament to the true spirit of volunteerism, service and community, and we are so proud to call such a place our home.

We sincerely hope that you will join us on June 16 to celebrate our dream come true and tour the facility you helped make possible. Once again, thank you all for your support and thank you to our members who have dedicated countless hours to this project.

Yours in service, The Members of Shippensburg Area EMS & Vigilant Hose Co. #1

to Orange Street, Shippensburg Area EMS will travel up Washington Street to Orange Street - both groups will join at the intersection of Orange and Washington streets and travel together to new building) 2 p.m. – Shippensburg Area EMS Ribbon Cutting Ceremony and Apparatus Housing 2:20 p.m. - Vigilant Hose Co. ribbon cut-

ting ceremony and apparatus housing 2:40 p.m. – Shippensburg Emergency Services Building Ribbon Cutting Ceremony 3:15- 5 p.m. - Community members are welcome and encouraged to tour the Shippensburg Emergency Services Building.

— Times of parade and ribbon cutting ceremonies may vary slightly.

A tour of the old building as well as the new one put the necessity and the scope of the Shippensburg fire department project into perspective.

“It doesn’t even matter what we build,” said Daniel Byers, president of Vigilant Hose Co. “It’s going to be better than what we’ve got.”

As the tour began, Byers said that among the many issues Vigilant has with the building, the biggest concern for him is safety.

At the top of the list of safety issues is the lack of ventilation for the diesel exhaust fumes the trucks kick into the building. The firehouses bunk room is just a wall away from the truck bay and as the exhaust rises, it climbs the fire pole and fills the conference room, kitchen and lounge area.

The exhaust may not seem like too big of a deal for firefighters that are in and out of the firehouse, but it is important to remember that several of them actually live there.

Ironically, a building dedicated to putting out fires does not have an automatic fire suppression system installed, aka sprinklers. Also, the building is not ADA certified, which means there are no accommodations for individuals with physical handicaps, such as elevators.

Submitted photo

Shippensburg Area EMS could not currently house all of its apparatus, something the new facility will offer.

Need for more room Another problem is the utter lack of space. The fire trucks were custom made to fit into the tightly fitted bays that only have an 8-foot wide door in the front. That means the drivers have to stop on King Street and back the huge trucks up through a door that has only inches to spare on either side.

The failed attempts can be seen as gouges and scrapes in the doors’ wooden frame.

At one point, a small addition was put onto the back side of one bay to accommodate a ladder truck that even with the addition, the ladder still stuck out the window.

With no room for the trucks, there is also no room for the gear.

Throughout the building, there is virtually no storage.

The firefighters take good care of their equipment, but with nowhere to store it, the gear ends up on the floor.

As for the firefighters themselves, Vigilant currently houses five livein firefighters.

According to Byers, having trained firefighters that live in the building is an all around win. The men and women that live there are the first responders to a call in the middle of the night and that often saves firefighters like Byers from getting out of bed and making the trip.

The perk for the live-ins is that it’s free to board there.

provide community input to their board. Their extensive talent and expertise are materially beneficial to the organization as well.

At this point CV EMS started an Ambulance Subscription Program or more commonly called an Ambulance Club by many area ambulance services.

This was done in an effort to provide some relief to area citizens who can least afford a sizeable ambulance bill and at the same time

generate some funds for the emergency service.

The subscription covers the head of the household and anyone else living in that household.

The program does not cover nonemergency transports (those determined to be not medically necessary).

In the spring of 2002, the CV EMS and the West Shore ALS agreed to do a joint Ambulance Subscription Program. This was done to benefit

“We have consistently met the National Fire Department Response Times standard of being on the scene within eight minutes 90 percent of the time,” Byers said.

The room that these five individuals sleep in, however, is just that – a room. In this room, there are five sets of bunk beds that are probably less than two feet apart.

Privacy, not a chance.

There is a unisex bathroom that is well maintained, but significantly too small for five people to share. The same principal applies to the kitchen.

The firefighters do have a lounge, which has flat panel television and several lounge chairs.

The downside is that the lounge is only feet from the fire pole that lets poisonous diesel exhaust into the upstairs area.

In other words, Vigilant more or less outgrew the building a good 20 years ago.

Even with the troubles Vigilant and its firefighters face, Byers noted that Shippensburg Area EMS does indeed have it worse.

For the last four years, Company 73 has operated out of a retrofitted store front at 235 E. King St., where they respond to an average of 2,500 calls a year.

Public Relations Officer Heather Franzoni said there are around 40 active personnel with 14-18 career employees.

“It’s a hell hole here,” Franzoni said.

“They have made due with a cheap home,” Byers said.

The EMS building has no garage bays for them to store their five ambulances, making it very difficult for them to do their jobs in a timely fashion during the winter months.

Unlike Vigilant, no one actually lives in the building. However, the career EMS have a shift system, similar to other 24-hour organizations, in which several people are in the building all night.

There is a little room they call sleeping quarters but none of the EMS personnel use it. Instead, they sleep on old lounge chairs in a living room-like area.

“At night there are always at least four grown adults sleeping in a chair,” Franzoni said. “The chairs are in bad shape, but you learn how to sleep in them.”

There is one small office with two computers that is shared by nine people trying to process reports. EMS also has a similar storage problem as Vigilant with a bit of space available under the building itself, which is cramped, dirty and has a low ceiling.

A few years ago, EMS had limited options and were forced to make do with substandard quarters.

It goes without saying that both Vigilant and EMS personnel are all excited about the move.

the citizens of our coverage area.

For an annual fee households can participate in the joint Ambulance Subscription Program in which they will be covered for basic life-support (CV EMS) and for advanced life-support (West Shore ALS).

In December of 2005, CV EMS moved from its shared housing with Cumberland Valley Hose Company due to the fire department’s need for more apparatus space.

EMS moved to the abandoned uptown gym at 235 East King Street and the staff converted this space to temporary housing for the EMS service.

After the move, the department re-organized and changed its name to Shippensburg Area EMS to better reflect the commitment of service to the greater Shippensburg area.

— information courtesy Shippensburg Area EMS

EMS troubles

EMS • Continued from C6 With the decline in volunteer staffing CV EMS began paying 24hour staffing and shortly thereafter became a predominately career department.

The CV EMS is believed to be the first emergency services provider in the area to add community representatives to their Boards of Directors.

The community representatives

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C10 — The Shippensburg Sentinel, Shippensburg, Pa., Wednesday, June 13, 2012

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Wednesday, June 13, 2012, The Shippensburg Sentinel, Shippensburg, Pa. — C3

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The first floor plan for the new Emergency Services Building in Shippensburg.

Vigilant, Ship EMS seeking volunteers The numbers of volunteers in the emergency services is dwindling nationwide, and Shippensburg has felt the effects. Our firefighters and EMT’s are committing hours upon hours, not only responding to emergencies, but also to training as requirements are changing and increasing yearly.

Beyond training and responding, volunteers are fundraising, providing vital fire prevention programs, tending to equipment,

attending meetings, and writing grants while taking care of families and full time jobs.

With all of these time consuming and stressful tasks, volunteers often site burnout as the number one reason for leaving the service. Too much time spent on too many different activities.

We are not telling you about all of this time consuming activity to deter you from volunteering, but rather to accurately show

a need for all different types of volunteers.

Running into burning buildings and riding on ambulances is not required to be an important part of our organizations!

We are always seeking individuals to help us raise funds, update our websites, present community programs, fix apparatus and/or equipment, and so much more! All of these things are vital to our operation, so if you are interested in joining our ranks and giving

back to your community in a very rewarding way, please contact us today to learn more!

We encourage those seeking to become active volunteer responders to contact us as well. No experience required! Training and gear paid for and provided by both organizations! — Vigilant Hose and Shippensburg Area EMS Recruitment & Retention Committees

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C4 — The Shippensburg Sentinel, Shippensburg, Pa., Wednesday, June 13, 2012

A look inside the staff ...

Lt. Brian Kiefer

The EMS, Vigilant Crews A look at the members of the two organizations:

Shippensburg Area EMS 70 Members They totaled 2,500 emergency responses in 2011.

The fleet currently contains five ambulances, with a sixth on the way, a utility vehicle, a rehab unit, a chief’s car, a trailer, and a UTV. Officers: • Shawn Hartsock - Acting Chief, Director of Operations • Kathy Eichelberger - Fundraising Officer • Judi Hartsock - Health & Safety Officer • Bill Klusman - Field Training Officer • Heather Franzoni - Public Relations Officer • Elizabeth Eiselman - Administrative Officer • Alexis Perry - Quartermaster Officer • Barb Cohick - Supply & Membership Officer • Robert Van Scyoc - Maintenance/Finance Officer • Connie McGill - Training Officer

Vigilant Hose Company 48 Active Members They total to more than 500 emergency responses per year. The fleet currently contains two E-One Cyclone II Engines, a Tanker, Brush Truck, Utility Truck, Chief’s Vehicle and Fire Police Unit.

Officers: • Fire Chief - Clyde Tinner • Deputy Chief - TJ Silverstrim • Assistant Chief - Ken Nehf, Jr. • Captain - Seth Robinson • Lieutenants - Brian Kiefer, Brady Oursler, Zach Nehf • Chief Emeritus - Charles Myers • President - Dan Byers • Vice President- Kevin Nehf • Treasurer - Robert Van Scyoc • Secretary - Megan Silverstrim • Financial Secretary - Dave Staver • Membership Director - Cindy Byers • Chaplain - Charles Myers • Assistant Chaplain - Jaye Alleman • Trustees - Dave Staver, Dave Lindenmuth, Maury Mahan, Seth Robinson, Brian Kiefer • Engineer - Richard Sanders • Assistant Engineer - Zach Nehf

While some people were born and raised in Shippensburg, others move to the area and fall in love. Brian Kiefer, 24, is a lieutenant with Vigilant and came to the area to attend Shippensburg University. In the process, he found a home.

“My dad was a firefighter and I was always interested having grown up around it,” Kiefer said. “One of the guys in my dorm (freshman year) was a Vigilant.”

Having had no prior fire-fighting experience, Kiefer joined Vigilant and ultimately became a live-in firefighter.

He dealt with the cramped conditions at the old fire house

for 1 1/2 years before graduating from SU with a political science degree in Dec. 2010.

Kiefer moved to Shippensburg from Gettysburg, having grown up in Minnesota, and he said that it was not the town itself that made him decide to stay. Instead it was Vigilant.

“I decided to stay after I joined Vigilant and I intend to stay here as long as I can,” Kiefer said. “The people and the older guys with experience and the officers that let you do your own thing make it a great place to learn the different styles of fire-fighting.”

Chaplain Charlie Myers Former Vigilant Fire Chief Charlie Myers was named Chief Emeritus for his 20 years of service as chief, but his accomplishments don’t stop there. Myers is 73 and, according to witness accounts, he can run circles around some of the young folks at Vigilant.

Myers is a life member of Vigilant in both title and truth as he has been with the company for more than 50 years, having held many positions in that time. He is currently the companies’ chaplain, a member of the fire police and he represents the company at the State Fireman’s Association and the Cumberland Valley Volunteer Fireman’s Association, which covers five states.

“I guess it’s in your blood,” Myers said. “You have to like working with people and I want to go all the time and I’m constantly doing something.”

Myers has been living in Shippensburg since graduating from Newville High School in 1957 and joining Vigilant in

1962. He became assistant fire chief in 1965 and fire chief in 1967, holding the position for 20 years before stepping down in 1987.

Myers did have some experience fighting fires before joining the company as he was part of a wild fire crew, fighting forest fires in Michaux State Forest for two years prior.

In 1975 the governor appointed Myers to the position of State Forest Fire Warden.

Myers worked at Hoffman Mills for 45 years on the night shift, and when he wasn’t working there he was either helping out at a local funeral home or fighting fires.

“I really enjoy working with people,” Myers said. “I don’t have much spare time, but when I do I like to go to my cabin in the mountains as relax.”

Myers’ grandson, Seth Robinson, is a captain with Vigilant.

Ken Nehf Sr. Some locals make fighting fires with Vigilant Hose Company a family affair, maintaining multi-generational memberships. The Nehf family has three generations of active Vigilant members who hold various positions within the company.

Ken Nehf grew up in Shippensburg and graduated from high school in 1957. He retired from SU as a maintenance technician. Formerly a Vigilant Trustee, Nehf Sr. now works as a member of the Fire Police.

Nehf Sr. was motivated by his son Ken Nehf Jr. to join Vigilant in 1976. Nehf Jr. joined vigilant, but was too young to travel to fire calls so Nehf Sr. would take him. From indirectly helping Vigilant by taking his son to fire calls, a passion for fire-fighting blossomed and Nehf Sr. is currently the company’s Assistant Fire Chief.

“I just like doing it,” Nehf Sr. said. “Besides, I need to look after the boys so that helps keep me doing it.”

Ken Nehf Jr.’s sons Adam and Zacharia are both members of

Vigilant. Zacharia is a lieutenant and an assistant engineer.

Nehf Sr.’s other son, Kevin Nehf, has also been a member of Vigilant since 1980, currently holding the position of vice president.

“My brother was a motivating factor in joining,” Kevin Nehf said. “My big brother was a fireman and it looked pretty cool.”

Kevin Nehf joined the Air Force after high school and served for four years as a weather specialist before returning home to Shippensburg. He currently works as a survey crew chief for an engineering firm in Mechanicsburg.

Kevin Nehf’s son Samuel Nehf is also a member of Vigilant.

“The guys at Vigilant are the best in the country,” Kevin Nehf said. “I hope that this new fire house satisfies my demands, my son’s demands, his sons demands and in 20 years it will still be exactly what they need. That is what we were shooting for.”

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Wednesday, June 13, 2012, The Shippensburg Sentinel, Shippensburg, Pa. — C9

An environmentally- friendly concept Matt Ciccocioppo

The money

Sentinel Reporter mciccocioppo@cumberlink.com

According to fire company President Daniel Byers, Vigilant Hose Fire Co. spared no expense to make sure the building is as efficient as possible, saying that the upfront cost now is high, but in the long term, it will pay for itself.

The building as a whole is Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Silver certified by meeting certain criteria in a host of categories including sustainable sites, water use reduction, energy & atmosphere, materials & resources and environmental quality.

Vigilant purchased an existing pre-developed site to reduce land use impacts associated with development of open land. Features at the site were designed to provide open space and natural vegetative habitats.

The quantity of storm water runoff was reduced at the site by capturing rainwater from the building’s roof and storing it in a 10,000 gallon cistern, where it can be used to fill tanker trucks and wash equipment, reducing demands on Shippensburg’s water supply.

Efforts were made to reduce the “Heat Island Effect” caused by dark pavement by using concrete aprons and driveways where heavy equipment will travel.

In an effort to reduce to building’s demand of Shippensburg’s potable water, low flow toilets, showers and sinks were incorporated into the buildings construction.

A portion of the building is located below grade (ground level) in order to reduce heating and cooling demands. Also, careful attention was paid to the insulation values of the roofing and wall materials to provide a highly efficient energy conserving building.

Energy will also be saved through the selection and installation of highly efficient boilers, water to water heat pumps and lighting

“There seems to be a common misconception that the new firehouse was paid for with tax dollars,” Vigilant Hose Fire Co. Secretary and PR person Megan Silverstrim said. “That’s just not true at all.”

The $7.6 million project landed Vigilant with a $5.1 million loan from F&M Trust and is being paid for with money raised by the fire company.

Vigilant sold a piece of property that had originally been purchased for the purpose of building on it, and the fire company put that money toward the new firehouse.

There have been a few borough tax breaks and a land development grant to add to the process, but in the end, it is and will continue to be paid for by the fire company itself, according to officials.

A big money maker for Vigilant is bingo. Every Friday night and Monday night with Shippensburg Area EMS, the fire company hosts bingo at the Firefighters Recreation Center on Orange Street at 7 p.m.

Members of Vigilant are required to work at least one bingo night a month to help manage the 170-200 people that come out nearly every time.

“Bingo is what pays the bills here,” Silverstrim said.

Another money maker is the selling of bricks that will line the hallway at the main entrance to the new building. For a $150 donation, anyone can “Buy a Brick” and have their name or a saying of their choice etched into a brick.

— Matthew Ciccocioppo

What’s required Matthew Ciccocioppo/The Sentinel

A portion of the Shippensburg Emergency Services Building is located below grade (ground level) in order to reduce heating and cooling demands. fixtures. Nearly every light in the building is attached to a sensor, coming on when someone is in the room as well as turning off when no one is around.

A reduction in heating demands was done through pre-heating incoming from air by capturing the latent heat from the exhaust management system, reducing energy consumption while maintaining air quality.

Efforts were made to ensure that as much of the building materials as possible came from within

a 500-mile radius of the building and had recycled content to promote local businesses, reduce material transportation and reduce environmental impact from raw material demand.

During construction, the quality of the indoor environment was maintained by ensuring the project was kept clean, that absorptive materials like drywall, ceiling tiles and insulation were kept dry and that dust creating work was segregated from clean areas to minimize migration of dust and dirt.

EMS Membership Requirements • 12 hours of time dedicated to the organization • CPR • EMT and various other levels of training depending on the position filled (EMT, officer, driver, etc.)

——— Vigilant Member Requirements Active Membership • Required to work one Friday night of bingo per month • Attendance at company meetings • Participation in company activities (fundraising, fire prevention, training, parades, etc.)

• Must be voted in by membership after a 3 month probation period Honorary Membership • Social membership

• Must be voted in by membership upon applying ——— Firefighter Requirements Requirements to Ride as an Exterior Firefighter • Complete New Member Checklist • Hazardous Materials Operations Level (Awareness Level will suffice until Operations Level can be achieved) • CPR • Approval by a Station Chief ——— Requirement to ride as an Interior Firefighter • Complete Entry Level Firefighter Curriculum (166 hours) • CPR/AED • Hazardous Material Operations Level

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C8 — The Shippensburg Sentinel, Shippensburg, Pa., Wednesday, June 13, 2012

It was time for a change Vigilant, EMS welcome a move from their current facilities

By Matthew Ciccocioppo Sentinel Reporter mciccocioppo@cumberlink.com

Both Vigilant Hose Fire Co. and Shippensburg Area EMS are eyeing a massive improvement with their move to the new facility.

Although there are a few common areas that will be shared between the two companies, EMS will get the majority of the top floor while Vigilant will have the ground floor.

Having nowhere to park their ambulances now, there will be enough space to have all of their apparatuses inside, with room to grow. “I don’t expect that we will really get any bigger, but we will be able to get all of our apparatuses in here, some of which are stored at different locations presently,� said Heather Franzoni, public relations officer for Shippensburg Area EMS. The new building is complete with several adequate bunk areas, an office for everyone, a common room and kitchen. There is plenty of storage space as well as adequate room to move around – a luxury that was in short supply in the old building.

The firehouse portion of the building is much the same, but there are a few things that are specific to its cause. For example, the eight dorm style rooms for liveins and all personnel rooms are on the first floor and as close as possible to the truck bays. Since all the firefighters, equipment and apparatuses are on the same floor, there is no need for the classic fire pole.

However, Vigilant Hose Fire Co. President Daniel Byers said there are a lot of memories associated with the old pole and he would like to see it in the new building’s museum. The museum is a fairly

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Wednesday, June 13, 2012, The Shippensburg Sentinel, Shippensburg, Pa. — C5

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One of the improvements Shippensburg Area EMS receives at the new facility is a place to house its vehicles. small room where Vigilant will house memorabilia from the old firehouse, such as the restored bell.

The five live-in firefighters will go from sleeping in one room on bunk beds to having their own dorm style room and a shared locker room. Although there are only five now, there are eight rooms, and sooner or later, Byers would like to see them filled. “If we had no trouble finding people to live in the old building, this should be easy,� Byers said.

There are offices for all the board members, a fitness room, a conference room and a kitchen. In the

kitchen there is a double row of as the truck leaves the bay and pantries that look somewhat like releases when it gets to the door. lockers.

The five bays are drive thru, meaning there is a door on eiBay upgrades ther end, eliminating the need Quite a few upgrades went into to back the trucks into the buildthe truck’s storage bays as well. ing. There is a hot water heating Byers was proud to point out the system installed in the concrete new exhaust management sys- of the bays to keep the snow back tem that each bay has – some- in the winter and to offer a little thing that previously did not ex- warmth in the large storage area.

There is also a room dedicated ist in Vigilant’s old building.

There is a large stainless steel to the storage of each firefighter’s pipe suspended from the ceiling equipment. “No more milk crates,� Byers that is connected to a hose that runs on a roller track. The end said.

The high tower that is visible of the hose magnetically connects to the exhaust pipe of the from the outside of the building fire truck, follows it on its track isn’t just there for looks. Instead

it serves a function for firefighters coming back from the scene of a fire.

When they return from a job, their hoses are waterlogged, heavy and in need of drying. In the past, they would simply lay the hoses down wherever there was space. Now, there is a system in the tower that is dedicated to dry the hoses.

A firefighter at the bottom of a flight of stairs inside the tower can connect the hose to a cable attached to a winch. A firefighter at the top of the stairs hoists the hose up and connects it to a bracket system allowing the hose to hang vertically and dry.

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C6 — The Shippensburg Sentinel, Shippensburg, Pa., Wednesday, June 13, 2012

Shippensburg Area EMS

Ambulance service started in 1859 Shippensburg Area EMS traces its roots to the Cumberland Valley Hose company chartered in 1859.

In January 1859 the Cumberland Valley Hose Company was organized and chartered as a volunteer fire company dedicated to providing fire protection to the Borough of Shippensburg.

On Jan. 2, 1931, 72 years later, the CVHC began an ambulance service. Their very first ambulance was a Studebaker Commander 8, purchased for $2,250 that was placed in service in May 1931.

Five years later, the Ambulance Committee, then headed by Edgar Hockersmith, suggested the purchase of a 1932 LaSalle, at a cost of $2,100, to replace the earlier model ambulance due to frequent repairs.

On Feb. 7, 1941, arrangements were completed to purchase a new Cadillac Ambulance through the

On Feb. 7, 1941, arrangements were completed to purchase a new Cadillac Ambulance through the Wolfington Body Company.

Wolfington Body Company. The CVHC continued the purchase of Cadillac Ambulances from Wolfington Body Company through 1973.

With the delivery of a 1947 Cadillac Ambulance, the CVHC had reached a milestone.

This would be the beginning of owning two ambulances for the CVHC. From this point on, they

kept two ambulances in service, replacing them every so many years with a newer version of the Cadillac Ambulances.

The era of the Cadillac Ambulances ended when two 1978 Dodge Yankee Continental Coaches were purchased.

In 1982, the membership approved the purchase of a third ambulance to add to the fleet. They

purchased a 1982 Type III Ford Modular Ambulance converted

by Mobile Medical Division from John Robba (J. & J. Inc.) at a cost of $35,000. The company continued to upgrade the fleet in the years to come, keeping three ambulances in operation.

The ambulance service was provided by an all-volunteer group of EMTs and ambulance attendants from its inception until June 1995.

For the most part of 64 years, volunteers were available to respond to ambulance calls.

When most of the volunteer EMTs were hired as paid personnel by neighboring ambulance services, it became necessary in June 1995 to hire part-time paid EMTs to maintain the level of ambulance service required by state health regulations and primarily, to provide the citizens it serves with the level of am-

bulance service they expect and deserve.

There are very few ambulance companies in the neighboring counties staffed with total volunteers; volunteerism, as existed in the past, is a luxury of a by-gone era.

On Jan. 1, 1999, the Cumberland Valley EMS officially became a separate entity and an organizational element with the responsibilities to provide emergency and non-emergency ambulance transportation as well as any other services required of an EMS organization.

The CV EMS was structured in a way to make it easier to maintain and control many of the different responsibilities involved with running both a fire and EMS department.

• See EMS, C11

A tradition of fighting fires in Shippensburg An American La France “City Service Truck� equipped with a pump, chemical tanks, hose and ladders was purchased by Borough Council in 1927.

Vigilant wasn’t given a permanent home until its current fire house was built in 1927. The building not only housed the fire company but also housed the borough office until 1965 and borough police until 1994.

According to information found at the Shippensburg Historical Society, the location of Vigilant’s first home was deliberately chosen. The original placement was such that it was a relatively equal distance from all major points in town as well as giving most people in town the chance to hear the bell.

On July 12, 1970, Vigilant held an open house to show off its newest

addition, the Annex. At the time, J. William Barbour was Vigilant’s President.

In order to facilitate quicker response times, Vigilant built a bunk room in 1977 to house live-in firefighters. “The building has been well used and it served its purpose, but we should have built 10 years ago,�

Daniel Byers said. “We are going to miss the pride and tradition that’s a part of this building.�

Having joined Vigilant in 1972, being chief for nine years and President for the last ten, Byers has seen countless firefighters come and go and he knows better than most just what improvements were needed in the fire house for quite some time. — Vigilant Hose Co. No. 1

Wednesday, June 13, 2012, The Shippensburg Sentinel, Shippensburg, Pa. — C7

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Founded on Feb. 22 1843, Vigilant Hose Company No. 1 is the oldest fire company in Shippensburg. Capt. Joseph Mifflin was given the position of Executive Chief Officer when the department was founded.

After working with less sophisticated equipment, the company purchased its first pumper in 1860, a Button hand pumper known as “Old Hay Ladder.� This pump served the community until 1895.

When the borough installed water works in 1878, Vigilant purchased a hand reel and wagon to carry the hose.

In 1919, borough council purchased Vigilant its first piece of Submitted photo motorized apparatus in the borThe Vigilant Hose Company crew in 1937. ough of Shippensburg. This was a Ford chemical and hose engine.

Model T equipped with two 5 gal- 24-foot extension ladder was addBetween 1919 and 1927, a Ford lon chemical extinguishers and a ed to the roster.

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C6 — The Shippensburg Sentinel, Shippensburg, Pa., Wednesday, June 13, 2012

Shippensburg Area EMS

Ambulance service started in 1859 Shippensburg Area EMS traces its roots to the Cumberland Valley Hose company chartered in 1859.

In January 1859 the Cumberland Valley Hose Company was organized and chartered as a volunteer fire company dedicated to providing fire protection to the Borough of Shippensburg.

On Jan. 2, 1931, 72 years later, the CVHC began an ambulance service. Their very first ambulance was a Studebaker Commander 8, purchased for $2,250 that was placed in service in May 1931.

Five years later, the Ambulance Committee, then headed by Edgar Hockersmith, suggested the purchase of a 1932 LaSalle, at a cost of $2,100, to replace the earlier model ambulance due to frequent repairs.

On Feb. 7, 1941, arrangements were completed to purchase a new Cadillac Ambulance through the

On Feb. 7, 1941, arrangements were completed to purchase a new Cadillac Ambulance through the Wolfington Body Company.

Wolfington Body Company. The CVHC continued the purchase of Cadillac Ambulances from Wolfington Body Company through 1973.

With the delivery of a 1947 Cadillac Ambulance, the CVHC had reached a milestone.

This would be the beginning of owning two ambulances for the CVHC. From this point on, they

kept two ambulances in service, replacing them every so many years with a newer version of the Cadillac Ambulances.

The era of the Cadillac Ambulances ended when two 1978 Dodge Yankee Continental Coaches were purchased.

In 1982, the membership approved the purchase of a third ambulance to add to the fleet. They

purchased a 1982 Type III Ford Modular Ambulance converted

by Mobile Medical Division from John Robba (J. & J. Inc.) at a cost of $35,000. The company continued to upgrade the fleet in the years to come, keeping three ambulances in operation.

The ambulance service was provided by an all-volunteer group of EMTs and ambulance attendants from its inception until June 1995.

For the most part of 64 years, volunteers were available to respond to ambulance calls.

When most of the volunteer EMTs were hired as paid personnel by neighboring ambulance services, it became necessary in June 1995 to hire part-time paid EMTs to maintain the level of ambulance service required by state health regulations and primarily, to provide the citizens it serves with the level of am-

bulance service they expect and deserve.

There are very few ambulance companies in the neighboring counties staffed with total volunteers; volunteerism, as existed in the past, is a luxury of a by-gone era.

On Jan. 1, 1999, the Cumberland Valley EMS officially became a separate entity and an organizational element with the responsibilities to provide emergency and non-emergency ambulance transportation as well as any other services required of an EMS organization.

The CV EMS was structured in a way to make it easier to maintain and control many of the different responsibilities involved with running both a fire and EMS department.

• See EMS, C11

A tradition of fighting fires in Shippensburg An American La France “City Service Truck� equipped with a pump, chemical tanks, hose and ladders was purchased by Borough Council in 1927.

Vigilant wasn’t given a permanent home until its current fire house was built in 1927. The building not only housed the fire company but also housed the borough office until 1965 and borough police until 1994.

According to information found at the Shippensburg Historical Society, the location of Vigilant’s first home was deliberately chosen. The original placement was such that it was a relatively equal distance from all major points in town as well as giving most people in town the chance to hear the bell.

On July 12, 1970, Vigilant held an open house to show off its newest

addition, the Annex. At the time, J. William Barbour was Vigilant’s President.

In order to facilitate quicker response times, Vigilant built a bunk room in 1977 to house live-in firefighters. “The building has been well used and it served its purpose, but we should have built 10 years ago,�

Daniel Byers said. “We are going to miss the pride and tradition that’s a part of this building.�

Having joined Vigilant in 1972, being chief for nine years and President for the last ten, Byers has seen countless firefighters come and go and he knows better than most just what improvements were needed in the fire house for quite some time. — Vigilant Hose Co. No. 1

Wednesday, June 13, 2012, The Shippensburg Sentinel, Shippensburg, Pa. — C7

Local Support We are pleased to support our Shippensburg community and congratulate theYour Vigilant Co.Dealer and EMS! See New Hose Holland Today!

LEADERSHIP SCHOLARSHIP INTERNSHIP

Established in 1976

FRIENDSHIP PARTNERSHIP

1475 Orchard Road, Chamberburg, PA 17202

717-263-0705 • www.forresterfarmeq.com

We are honored to support the emergency services building and sponsor the new Vigilant Hose Co. kitchen!

Pizza MaN 530-1607 201 North Seneca Street, Shippensburg

Vigilant Hose Co. No. 1

Founded on Feb. 22 1843, Vigilant Hose Company No. 1 is the oldest fire company in Shippensburg. Capt. Joseph Mifflin was given the position of Executive Chief Officer when the department was founded.

After working with less sophisticated equipment, the company purchased its first pumper in 1860, a Button hand pumper known as “Old Hay Ladder.� This pump served the community until 1895.

When the borough installed water works in 1878, Vigilant purchased a hand reel and wagon to carry the hose.

In 1919, borough council purchased Vigilant its first piece of Submitted photo motorized apparatus in the borThe Vigilant Hose Company crew in 1937. ough of Shippensburg. This was a Ford chemical and hose engine.

Model T equipped with two 5 gal- 24-foot extension ladder was addBetween 1919 and 1927, a Ford lon chemical extinguishers and a ed to the roster.

www.shipsentinel.com

WWW.SHIP.EDU

CHAMPIONSHIP

Congratulations on your new facility and thank you for your service to the community.

Tickets: (717) 477-SHOW luhrscenter.com

It is our pleasure to support our local emergency services team!

Thank you so much for impacting our community!

Congratulations! and Best Wishes! to all members of the Vigilant Hose Fire Co. and Shippensburg EMS!

Deja Vu Boutique 717-860-9964 7 S. Earl St., Shippensburg

www.dejavuboutiqueworld.com We Thank You For A Job Well Done And Proudly Support The Emergency Services Team!

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C8 — The Shippensburg Sentinel, Shippensburg, Pa., Wednesday, June 13, 2012

It was time for a change Vigilant, EMS welcome a move from their current facilities

By Matthew Ciccocioppo Sentinel Reporter mciccocioppo@cumberlink.com

Both Vigilant Hose Fire Co. and Shippensburg Area EMS are eyeing a massive improvement with their move to the new facility.

Although there are a few common areas that will be shared between the two companies, EMS will get the majority of the top floor while Vigilant will have the ground floor.

Having nowhere to park their ambulances now, there will be enough space to have all of their apparatuses inside, with room to grow. “I don’t expect that we will really get any bigger, but we will be able to get all of our apparatuses in here, some of which are stored at different locations presently,� said Heather Franzoni, public relations officer for Shippensburg Area EMS. The new building is complete with several adequate bunk areas, an office for everyone, a common room and kitchen. There is plenty of storage space as well as adequate room to move around – a luxury that was in short supply in the old building.

The firehouse portion of the building is much the same, but there are a few things that are specific to its cause. For example, the eight dorm style rooms for liveins and all personnel rooms are on the first floor and as close as possible to the truck bays. Since all the firefighters, equipment and apparatuses are on the same floor, there is no need for the classic fire pole.

However, Vigilant Hose Fire Co. President Daniel Byers said there are a lot of memories associated with the old pole and he would like to see it in the new building’s museum. The museum is a fairly

www.shipsentinel.com

Wednesday, June 13, 2012, The Shippensburg Sentinel, Shippensburg, Pa. — C5

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One of the improvements Shippensburg Area EMS receives at the new facility is a place to house its vehicles. small room where Vigilant will house memorabilia from the old firehouse, such as the restored bell.

The five live-in firefighters will go from sleeping in one room on bunk beds to having their own dorm style room and a shared locker room. Although there are only five now, there are eight rooms, and sooner or later, Byers would like to see them filled. “If we had no trouble finding people to live in the old building, this should be easy,� Byers said.

There are offices for all the board members, a fitness room, a conference room and a kitchen. In the

kitchen there is a double row of as the truck leaves the bay and pantries that look somewhat like releases when it gets to the door. lockers.

The five bays are drive thru, meaning there is a door on eiBay upgrades ther end, eliminating the need Quite a few upgrades went into to back the trucks into the buildthe truck’s storage bays as well. ing. There is a hot water heating Byers was proud to point out the system installed in the concrete new exhaust management sys- of the bays to keep the snow back tem that each bay has – some- in the winter and to offer a little thing that previously did not ex- warmth in the large storage area.

There is also a room dedicated ist in Vigilant’s old building.

There is a large stainless steel to the storage of each firefighter’s pipe suspended from the ceiling equipment. “No more milk crates,� Byers that is connected to a hose that runs on a roller track. The end said.

The high tower that is visible of the hose magnetically connects to the exhaust pipe of the from the outside of the building fire truck, follows it on its track isn’t just there for looks. Instead

it serves a function for firefighters coming back from the scene of a fire.

When they return from a job, their hoses are waterlogged, heavy and in need of drying. In the past, they would simply lay the hoses down wherever there was space. Now, there is a system in the tower that is dedicated to dry the hoses.

A firefighter at the bottom of a flight of stairs inside the tower can connect the hose to a cable attached to a winch. A firefighter at the top of the stairs hoists the hose up and connects it to a bracket system allowing the hose to hang vertically and dry.

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C4 — The Shippensburg Sentinel, Shippensburg, Pa., Wednesday, June 13, 2012

A look inside the staff ...

Lt. Brian Kiefer

The EMS, Vigilant Crews A look at the members of the two organizations:

Shippensburg Area EMS 70 Members They totaled 2,500 emergency responses in 2011.

The fleet currently contains five ambulances, with a sixth on the way, a utility vehicle, a rehab unit, a chief’s car, a trailer, and a UTV. Officers: • Shawn Hartsock - Acting Chief, Director of Operations • Kathy Eichelberger - Fundraising Officer • Judi Hartsock - Health & Safety Officer • Bill Klusman - Field Training Officer • Heather Franzoni - Public Relations Officer • Elizabeth Eiselman - Administrative Officer • Alexis Perry - Quartermaster Officer • Barb Cohick - Supply & Membership Officer • Robert Van Scyoc - Maintenance/Finance Officer • Connie McGill - Training Officer

Vigilant Hose Company 48 Active Members They total to more than 500 emergency responses per year. The fleet currently contains two E-One Cyclone II Engines, a Tanker, Brush Truck, Utility Truck, Chief’s Vehicle and Fire Police Unit.

Officers: • Fire Chief - Clyde Tinner • Deputy Chief - TJ Silverstrim • Assistant Chief - Ken Nehf, Jr. • Captain - Seth Robinson • Lieutenants - Brian Kiefer, Brady Oursler, Zach Nehf • Chief Emeritus - Charles Myers • President - Dan Byers • Vice President- Kevin Nehf • Treasurer - Robert Van Scyoc • Secretary - Megan Silverstrim • Financial Secretary - Dave Staver • Membership Director - Cindy Byers • Chaplain - Charles Myers • Assistant Chaplain - Jaye Alleman • Trustees - Dave Staver, Dave Lindenmuth, Maury Mahan, Seth Robinson, Brian Kiefer • Engineer - Richard Sanders • Assistant Engineer - Zach Nehf

While some people were born and raised in Shippensburg, others move to the area and fall in love. Brian Kiefer, 24, is a lieutenant with Vigilant and came to the area to attend Shippensburg University. In the process, he found a home.

“My dad was a firefighter and I was always interested having grown up around it,” Kiefer said. “One of the guys in my dorm (freshman year) was a Vigilant.”

Having had no prior fire-fighting experience, Kiefer joined Vigilant and ultimately became a live-in firefighter.

He dealt with the cramped conditions at the old fire house

for 1 1/2 years before graduating from SU with a political science degree in Dec. 2010.

Kiefer moved to Shippensburg from Gettysburg, having grown up in Minnesota, and he said that it was not the town itself that made him decide to stay. Instead it was Vigilant.

“I decided to stay after I joined Vigilant and I intend to stay here as long as I can,” Kiefer said. “The people and the older guys with experience and the officers that let you do your own thing make it a great place to learn the different styles of fire-fighting.”

Chaplain Charlie Myers Former Vigilant Fire Chief Charlie Myers was named Chief Emeritus for his 20 years of service as chief, but his accomplishments don’t stop there. Myers is 73 and, according to witness accounts, he can run circles around some of the young folks at Vigilant.

Myers is a life member of Vigilant in both title and truth as he has been with the company for more than 50 years, having held many positions in that time. He is currently the companies’ chaplain, a member of the fire police and he represents the company at the State Fireman’s Association and the Cumberland Valley Volunteer Fireman’s Association, which covers five states.

“I guess it’s in your blood,” Myers said. “You have to like working with people and I want to go all the time and I’m constantly doing something.”

Myers has been living in Shippensburg since graduating from Newville High School in 1957 and joining Vigilant in

1962. He became assistant fire chief in 1965 and fire chief in 1967, holding the position for 20 years before stepping down in 1987.

Myers did have some experience fighting fires before joining the company as he was part of a wild fire crew, fighting forest fires in Michaux State Forest for two years prior.

In 1975 the governor appointed Myers to the position of State Forest Fire Warden.

Myers worked at Hoffman Mills for 45 years on the night shift, and when he wasn’t working there he was either helping out at a local funeral home or fighting fires.

“I really enjoy working with people,” Myers said. “I don’t have much spare time, but when I do I like to go to my cabin in the mountains as relax.”

Myers’ grandson, Seth Robinson, is a captain with Vigilant.

Ken Nehf Sr. Some locals make fighting fires with Vigilant Hose Company a family affair, maintaining multi-generational memberships. The Nehf family has three generations of active Vigilant members who hold various positions within the company.

Ken Nehf grew up in Shippensburg and graduated from high school in 1957. He retired from SU as a maintenance technician. Formerly a Vigilant Trustee, Nehf Sr. now works as a member of the Fire Police.

Nehf Sr. was motivated by his son Ken Nehf Jr. to join Vigilant in 1976. Nehf Jr. joined vigilant, but was too young to travel to fire calls so Nehf Sr. would take him. From indirectly helping Vigilant by taking his son to fire calls, a passion for fire-fighting blossomed and Nehf Sr. is currently the company’s Assistant Fire Chief.

“I just like doing it,” Nehf Sr. said. “Besides, I need to look after the boys so that helps keep me doing it.”

Ken Nehf Jr.’s sons Adam and Zacharia are both members of

Vigilant. Zacharia is a lieutenant and an assistant engineer.

Nehf Sr.’s other son, Kevin Nehf, has also been a member of Vigilant since 1980, currently holding the position of vice president.

“My brother was a motivating factor in joining,” Kevin Nehf said. “My big brother was a fireman and it looked pretty cool.”

Kevin Nehf joined the Air Force after high school and served for four years as a weather specialist before returning home to Shippensburg. He currently works as a survey crew chief for an engineering firm in Mechanicsburg.

Kevin Nehf’s son Samuel Nehf is also a member of Vigilant.

“The guys at Vigilant are the best in the country,” Kevin Nehf said. “I hope that this new fire house satisfies my demands, my son’s demands, his sons demands and in 20 years it will still be exactly what they need. That is what we were shooting for.”

www.shipsentinel.com

Wednesday, June 13, 2012, The Shippensburg Sentinel, Shippensburg, Pa. — C9

An environmentally- friendly concept Matt Ciccocioppo

The money

Sentinel Reporter mciccocioppo@cumberlink.com

According to fire company President Daniel Byers, Vigilant Hose Fire Co. spared no expense to make sure the building is as efficient as possible, saying that the upfront cost now is high, but in the long term, it will pay for itself.

The building as a whole is Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Silver certified by meeting certain criteria in a host of categories including sustainable sites, water use reduction, energy & atmosphere, materials & resources and environmental quality.

Vigilant purchased an existing pre-developed site to reduce land use impacts associated with development of open land. Features at the site were designed to provide open space and natural vegetative habitats.

The quantity of storm water runoff was reduced at the site by capturing rainwater from the building’s roof and storing it in a 10,000 gallon cistern, where it can be used to fill tanker trucks and wash equipment, reducing demands on Shippensburg’s water supply.

Efforts were made to reduce the “Heat Island Effect” caused by dark pavement by using concrete aprons and driveways where heavy equipment will travel.

In an effort to reduce to building’s demand of Shippensburg’s potable water, low flow toilets, showers and sinks were incorporated into the buildings construction.

A portion of the building is located below grade (ground level) in order to reduce heating and cooling demands. Also, careful attention was paid to the insulation values of the roofing and wall materials to provide a highly efficient energy conserving building.

Energy will also be saved through the selection and installation of highly efficient boilers, water to water heat pumps and lighting

“There seems to be a common misconception that the new firehouse was paid for with tax dollars,” Vigilant Hose Fire Co. Secretary and PR person Megan Silverstrim said. “That’s just not true at all.”

The $7.6 million project landed Vigilant with a $5.1 million loan from F&M Trust and is being paid for with money raised by the fire company.

Vigilant sold a piece of property that had originally been purchased for the purpose of building on it, and the fire company put that money toward the new firehouse.

There have been a few borough tax breaks and a land development grant to add to the process, but in the end, it is and will continue to be paid for by the fire company itself, according to officials.

A big money maker for Vigilant is bingo. Every Friday night and Monday night with Shippensburg Area EMS, the fire company hosts bingo at the Firefighters Recreation Center on Orange Street at 7 p.m.

Members of Vigilant are required to work at least one bingo night a month to help manage the 170-200 people that come out nearly every time.

“Bingo is what pays the bills here,” Silverstrim said.

Another money maker is the selling of bricks that will line the hallway at the main entrance to the new building. For a $150 donation, anyone can “Buy a Brick” and have their name or a saying of their choice etched into a brick.

— Matthew Ciccocioppo

What’s required Matthew Ciccocioppo/The Sentinel

A portion of the Shippensburg Emergency Services Building is located below grade (ground level) in order to reduce heating and cooling demands. fixtures. Nearly every light in the building is attached to a sensor, coming on when someone is in the room as well as turning off when no one is around.

A reduction in heating demands was done through pre-heating incoming from air by capturing the latent heat from the exhaust management system, reducing energy consumption while maintaining air quality.

Efforts were made to ensure that as much of the building materials as possible came from within

a 500-mile radius of the building and had recycled content to promote local businesses, reduce material transportation and reduce environmental impact from raw material demand.

During construction, the quality of the indoor environment was maintained by ensuring the project was kept clean, that absorptive materials like drywall, ceiling tiles and insulation were kept dry and that dust creating work was segregated from clean areas to minimize migration of dust and dirt.

EMS Membership Requirements • 12 hours of time dedicated to the organization • CPR • EMT and various other levels of training depending on the position filled (EMT, officer, driver, etc.)

——— Vigilant Member Requirements Active Membership • Required to work one Friday night of bingo per month • Attendance at company meetings • Participation in company activities (fundraising, fire prevention, training, parades, etc.)

• Must be voted in by membership after a 3 month probation period Honorary Membership • Social membership

• Must be voted in by membership upon applying ——— Firefighter Requirements Requirements to Ride as an Exterior Firefighter • Complete New Member Checklist • Hazardous Materials Operations Level (Awareness Level will suffice until Operations Level can be achieved) • CPR • Approval by a Station Chief ——— Requirement to ride as an Interior Firefighter • Complete Entry Level Firefighter Curriculum (166 hours) • CPR/AED • Hazardous Material Operations Level

www.shipsentinel.com

C10 — The Shippensburg Sentinel, Shippensburg, Pa., Wednesday, June 13, 2012

www.shipsentinel.com

Wednesday, June 13, 2012, The Shippensburg Sentinel, Shippensburg, Pa. — C3

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The first floor plan for the new Emergency Services Building in Shippensburg.

Vigilant, Ship EMS seeking volunteers The numbers of volunteers in the emergency services is dwindling nationwide, and Shippensburg has felt the effects. Our firefighters and EMT’s are committing hours upon hours, not only responding to emergencies, but also to training as requirements are changing and increasing yearly.

Beyond training and responding, volunteers are fundraising, providing vital fire prevention programs, tending to equipment,

attending meetings, and writing grants while taking care of families and full time jobs.

With all of these time consuming and stressful tasks, volunteers often site burnout as the number one reason for leaving the service. Too much time spent on too many different activities.

We are not telling you about all of this time consuming activity to deter you from volunteering, but rather to accurately show

a need for all different types of volunteers.

Running into burning buildings and riding on ambulances is not required to be an important part of our organizations!

We are always seeking individuals to help us raise funds, update our websites, present community programs, fix apparatus and/or equipment, and so much more! All of these things are vital to our operation, so if you are interested in joining our ranks and giving

back to your community in a very rewarding way, please contact us today to learn more!

We encourage those seeking to become active volunteer responders to contact us as well. No experience required! Training and gear paid for and provided by both organizations! — Vigilant Hose and Shippensburg Area EMS Recruitment & Retention Committees

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Call to make an appointment for dryer vent cleaning

532-3876

Supporting the Vigilant Hose Fire Co. and Shippensburg EMS for generations.

Thank you for your service! est. 1856

Pague & Fegan, Inc.

35 West King st., shippensburg r 532-6511 . 5I 'S BN QN r 5VF 8FE BN QN r 4BU BN QN

God Bless your services and contriButions!

5034 LWE, Fayetteville, PA 17222

717-264-4844

24/7 Emergency Service

www.climatecontrolpa.net

Post 223

Post 223

We invite all Vigilant Hose Co. and Shippensburg EMS personnel/ volunteers for a free cup of coffee!

Thanks for all you do!

717-300-3606 300 N. Earl Street, Shippensburg

Hours: Mon 6am-3pm, Tues-Fri 6am-9pm, Sat 7am-9pm, Sun 8am-3pm

Kings Court Tanning proudly supports our local Emergency Services Building!

IC T

Kings Court tanning 208 East King Street, Shippensburg

532-5624

It is our honor to sponsor the Storage room 226 in the new Emergency Services Building. Congratulations!

We service all makes and models “Mopar Specialists�

717-530-1600

717-530-1600

Carl L. Cramer Insurance, LLC. We have always supported the Vigilant Hose Fire Co. and EMS. Congratulations on your accomplishment!

833 West King St., Shippensburg

P:(717) 530-8600 www.cramerinsurance.com

www.shipsentinel.com

C2 — The Shippensburg Sentinel, Shippensburg, Pa., Wednesday, June 13, 2012

www.shipsentinel.com

Wednesday, June 13, 2012, The Shippensburg Sentinel, Shippensburg, Pa. — C11

Old facilities posed many problems for crews

By Matthew Ciccocioppo Sentinel Reporter mciccocioppo@cumberlink.com

Matthew Ciccocioppo/The Sentinel

The Shippensburg Emergency Services Building.

Dear Shippensburg Community, As we prepare for our move into the new Shippensburg Emergency Services Building, we wanted to take the opportunity to thank our community for their support during our recent endeavors. For the Vigilant Hose Company, this building has been a dream, planned and saved for over 25 years, as the company began rapidly outgrowing their location of nearly 170 years.

For Shippensburg Area EMS, this building became a necessity, after a move into their temporary home on King Street in 2007 left them with no garage structure to protect ambulances and crews from the elements and dilapidated office space.

This building would not have been possible without the support of our community, local businesses and of course, the men and women who tirelessly serve our two organizations. We are a group comprised of families who have served for generations. We are col-

Open House Schedule

Shippensburg Emergency Services ribbon cutting and open house schedule for June 16: 1 p.m. – Vigilant’s closing ceremony for 129 E. King Street Station 1:20 p.m. – Shippensburg Emergency Services Vigilant Hose Company Personnel March and Parade of Apparatus (Vigilant will travel up South Prince Street

lege students who came seeking an education and found a home.

We are educators, veterans, coaches, mechanics and police officers. We are a diverse group of people brought together by one driving force, a desire to protect and serve our community, our friends, our neighbors and our families. The Shippensburg Emergency Services Building is much more than just a fire house and EMS station, it is a testament to the true spirit of volunteerism, service and community, and we are so proud to call such a place our home.

We sincerely hope that you will join us on June 16 to celebrate our dream come true and tour the facility you helped make possible. Once again, thank you all for your support and thank you to our members who have dedicated countless hours to this project.

Yours in service, The Members of Shippensburg Area EMS & Vigilant Hose Co. #1

to Orange Street, Shippensburg Area EMS will travel up Washington Street to Orange Street - both groups will join at the intersection of Orange and Washington streets and travel together to new building) 2 p.m. – Shippensburg Area EMS Ribbon Cutting Ceremony and Apparatus Housing 2:20 p.m. - Vigilant Hose Co. ribbon cut-

ting ceremony and apparatus housing 2:40 p.m. – Shippensburg Emergency Services Building Ribbon Cutting Ceremony 3:15- 5 p.m. - Community members are welcome and encouraged to tour the Shippensburg Emergency Services Building.

— Times of parade and ribbon cutting ceremonies may vary slightly.

A tour of the old building as well as the new one put the necessity and the scope of the Shippensburg fire department project into perspective.

“It doesn’t even matter what we build,” said Daniel Byers, president of Vigilant Hose Co. “It’s going to be better than what we’ve got.”

As the tour began, Byers said that among the many issues Vigilant has with the building, the biggest concern for him is safety.

At the top of the list of safety issues is the lack of ventilation for the diesel exhaust fumes the trucks kick into the building. The firehouses bunk room is just a wall away from the truck bay and as the exhaust rises, it climbs the fire pole and fills the conference room, kitchen and lounge area.

The exhaust may not seem like too big of a deal for firefighters that are in and out of the firehouse, but it is important to remember that several of them actually live there.

Ironically, a building dedicated to putting out fires does not have an automatic fire suppression system installed, aka sprinklers. Also, the building is not ADA certified, which means there are no accommodations for individuals with physical handicaps, such as elevators.

Submitted photo

Shippensburg Area EMS could not currently house all of its apparatus, something the new facility will offer.

Need for more room Another problem is the utter lack of space. The fire trucks were custom made to fit into the tightly fitted bays that only have an 8-foot wide door in the front. That means the drivers have to stop on King Street and back the huge trucks up through a door that has only inches to spare on either side.

The failed attempts can be seen as gouges and scrapes in the doors’ wooden frame.

At one point, a small addition was put onto the back side of one bay to accommodate a ladder truck that even with the addition, the ladder still stuck out the window.

With no room for the trucks, there is also no room for the gear.

Throughout the building, there is virtually no storage.

The firefighters take good care of their equipment, but with nowhere to store it, the gear ends up on the floor.

As for the firefighters themselves, Vigilant currently houses five livein firefighters.

According to Byers, having trained firefighters that live in the building is an all around win. The men and women that live there are the first responders to a call in the middle of the night and that often saves firefighters like Byers from getting out of bed and making the trip.

The perk for the live-ins is that it’s free to board there.

provide community input to their board. Their extensive talent and expertise are materially beneficial to the organization as well.

At this point CV EMS started an Ambulance Subscription Program or more commonly called an Ambulance Club by many area ambulance services.

This was done in an effort to provide some relief to area citizens who can least afford a sizeable ambulance bill and at the same time

generate some funds for the emergency service.

The subscription covers the head of the household and anyone else living in that household.

The program does not cover nonemergency transports (those determined to be not medically necessary).

In the spring of 2002, the CV EMS and the West Shore ALS agreed to do a joint Ambulance Subscription Program. This was done to benefit

“We have consistently met the National Fire Department Response Times standard of being on the scene within eight minutes 90 percent of the time,” Byers said.

The room that these five individuals sleep in, however, is just that – a room. In this room, there are five sets of bunk beds that are probably less than two feet apart.

Privacy, not a chance.

There is a unisex bathroom that is well maintained, but significantly too small for five people to share. The same principal applies to the kitchen.

The firefighters do have a lounge, which has flat panel television and several lounge chairs.

The downside is that the lounge is only feet from the fire pole that lets poisonous diesel exhaust into the upstairs area.

In other words, Vigilant more or less outgrew the building a good 20 years ago.

Even with the troubles Vigilant and its firefighters face, Byers noted that Shippensburg Area EMS does indeed have it worse.

For the last four years, Company 73 has operated out of a retrofitted store front at 235 E. King St., where they respond to an average of 2,500 calls a year.

Public Relations Officer Heather Franzoni said there are around 40 active personnel with 14-18 career employees.

“It’s a hell hole here,” Franzoni said.

“They have made due with a cheap home,” Byers said.

The EMS building has no garage bays for them to store their five ambulances, making it very difficult for them to do their jobs in a timely fashion during the winter months.

Unlike Vigilant, no one actually lives in the building. However, the career EMS have a shift system, similar to other 24-hour organizations, in which several people are in the building all night.

There is a little room they call sleeping quarters but none of the EMS personnel use it. Instead, they sleep on old lounge chairs in a living room-like area.

“At night there are always at least four grown adults sleeping in a chair,” Franzoni said. “The chairs are in bad shape, but you learn how to sleep in them.”

There is one small office with two computers that is shared by nine people trying to process reports. EMS also has a similar storage problem as Vigilant with a bit of space available under the building itself, which is cramped, dirty and has a low ceiling.

A few years ago, EMS had limited options and were forced to make do with substandard quarters.

It goes without saying that both Vigilant and EMS personnel are all excited about the move.

the citizens of our coverage area.

For an annual fee households can participate in the joint Ambulance Subscription Program in which they will be covered for basic life-support (CV EMS) and for advanced life-support (West Shore ALS).

In December of 2005, CV EMS moved from its shared housing with Cumberland Valley Hose Company due to the fire department’s need for more apparatus space.

EMS moved to the abandoned uptown gym at 235 East King Street and the staff converted this space to temporary housing for the EMS service.

After the move, the department re-organized and changed its name to Shippensburg Area EMS to better reflect the commitment of service to the greater Shippensburg area.

— information courtesy Shippensburg Area EMS

EMS troubles

EMS • Continued from C6 With the decline in volunteer staffing CV EMS began paying 24hour staffing and shortly thereafter became a predominately career department.

The CV EMS is believed to be the first emergency services provider in the area to add community representatives to their Boards of Directors.

The community representatives

C12 — The Shippensburg Sentinel, Shippensburg, Pa., Wednesday, June 13, 2012

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CommunityimpacT

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Wednesday, June 13, 2012, The Shippensburg Sentinel, Shippensburg, Pa. — C1

Shippensburg Area EMS Vigilant Hose Fire Co. #1

The Shippensburg Emergency Services Building