By Kelly Urban
The Tribune-Democrat
CARROLLTOWN, Pa. – For half a century, James J. Shank has been involved with the Carrolltown Fire Engine Company, and that milestone earned him recent recognition.
In July, the Carrolltown resident was presented with a plaque from the fire company for his dedication as a lifetime member.
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“I’ve never really thought of this as a number,” the 68-year-old said. “In 2001, I was awarded a life membership. For a lot of people, when they get that life membership, they kind of slowly fade away, but that was never in the cards for me. I continue to go when there’s a call.”
Shank said he comes from a long line of family members who have contributed to the fire company in multiple ways.
“My father was a life member; my mother is a big part of the auxiliary; I have three brothers who are life members, and my sister is a life member,” he said.
“The whole family in one way or another over the years has been a part of the fire company.”
Shank said he joined the fire company in July 1976 when he was 18 years old.
“For the first 10 years, I did firefighting and vehicle rescue, but the firefighting end of it just wasn’t for me,” he said. “I always wanted to get into the fire policing end of it. The chief didn’t want to lose someone who could fight fires and fought me on that for a long time, but in 1986 he agreed to let me get into the fire police end of it.”
Fire police officers are specialized members of the fire service who control traffic, manage crowds and secure emergency scenes.
Shank said in 2009, he was approached by the fire police captain, who was stepping down from the position due to illness.
“He asked how I would feel about being the fire police captain,” he said. “I accepted the position, and I still hold it.”
As the fire police captain, Shank is in charge of safety, but he said every member of the outfit is a safety officer.
“It’s up to all of us to watch out for everyone,” he said. “Everyone has to have each other’s backs. We are like family, and when we are on a call, everything clicks because we have a job to do.”
Shank said he supervises about a dozen fire police members.
“We have worked together for so long that when we get on the scene of an accident or a fire, we don’t even need to talk back and forth, we immediately get to work,” he said.
Shank said the position can be stressful, but it’s rewarding.
“It’s a hard thing to describe, but I take a lot of pride in it and I’ve always been community-oriented,” he said. “Anyone who is in this outfit, or any outfit, is there because they want to help.”
Shank said the position has taught him how fragile life can be.
“A split-second can change someone’s entire life forever,” he said. “That’s why it’s important when we are out there at scenes to get people slowed down to avoid more accidents.”
Shank has been a member of the Carrolltown Firemen’s Club board of directors for 33 years, and through that he has served on the building and fundraising committees and has maintained the company’s sirens in town for 40 years.
He’s also a member of the Somerset & Cambria Fire Police Association, the Pennsylvania Fire Police Association, the Cambria County Regional Firemen’s Association, the Pennsylvania Central District Volunteer Firemen’s Association and the Firefighters’ Association State of Pennsylvania.
“I like to stay active,” Shank said. “This is who I am. I always refer to my community as my people, and I like to take care of them.”
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