By Ron Devlin
Republican & Herald
MAHANOY CITY, Pa. — West End Fire & Rescue started with a hand-me-down 1917 American LaFrance fire engine previously used by Citizens Fire Company No. 2.
As it prepares to celebrate its 100th anniversary, the company’s firefighting arsenal boasts five fire and rescue trucks, some worth more than $1 million.
The youngest of the borough’s five fire companies, West End has managed to survive challenging times with a host of fundraising activities and a deep sense of respect for a tradition handed down by previous generations.
“We’ve managed to pivot with the times,” said Daniel J. Markiewicz, Mahanoy City’s borough fire chief.
West End will mark its century of service this week with several activities, concluding with a 100th anniversary parade on Saturday, June 28.
The celebration begins with a memorial service at 4 p.m. Sunday in St. Teresa of Calcutta Catholic Church, a half-block away on W. Mahanoy Street.
Msgr. William F. Glosser, pastor of St. Clare of Assisi Catholic Church in Saint Clair, is the celebrant. West End firefighters will wear Class A uniforms for the service.
Mike Kitsock and Mike Glore, firefighting historians, will review West End’s history at a homecoming event at 6 p.m. Wednesday in the fire station.
A 100th Anniversary banquet, which is not open to the public, is set for Friday at the fire station.
West End’s vintage 1950 open-cab Mack truck will lead an entourage of 75 fire trucks at 1 p.m. Saturday in the borough. Judging entries competing for 40 trophies will be held prior to the parade. Harvey Eckert, a Mack historian, is the guest speaker.
Proud history
A disastrous fire on the borough’s west end led to the formation of West End Fire & Rescue, which was chartered on June 29, 1925.
Located on West Centre Street, the company’s first fire was at Catawissa and Spruce streets on April 14, 1929.
In December 1931, West End put a 1931 Buffalo 750-gallon-per-minute fire truck that cost $9,875 into service.
Times were tough during the Great Depression, and when a dispute arose over funding the new truck, West End members stood watch 24/7 to ensure the truck was not repossessed.
One of West End’s proudest moments occurred during the first Schuylkill County Volunteer Firemen’s Association Convention parade in October 1955 in Tamaqua.
Despite rain, the West Enders marched in the parade and took second place in the Best Marching Unit category.
“It started a tradition,” Chief Markiewicz said, “of the company being a strong participant in Schuylkill County firemen’s parades.”
Mahanoy City hosted the 9th annual firemen’s parade in 1963, in conjunction with the borough’s 100th anniversary.
West End held its 75th anniversary with a triple housing ceremony on Aug. 26, 2000. Rescue 993, Rescue 469 and Engine 5 were all housed, and State Fire Commissioner Ed Mann spoke after a parade of 100 fire trucks.
West End was awarded the Kenneth Butch Reed Memorial Trophy for Best Overall Fire Company at the county convention in September 2000. The following week, it won first place in Heavy Rescue at the state firefighter’s convention parade in King of Prussia.
Handing down
At the fire station on Saturday, while preparing for the upcoming anniversary, Chief Markiewicz said the dedication exhibited by members during the Depression has endured to the present day.
“This is a family affair, it’s generational,” said Markiewicz, 56, who joined the fire service in 1983. “Kids who run around the firehouse become line officers 20 years later.”
An emergency dispatcher at the Schuylkill County Communications Center, Markiewicz said many of the company’s members have gone on to careers in public service.
“West End had done a good job of transitioning through the generations,” he said, “of handing everything down.”
Lt. James Markiewicz, the chief’s first cousin, was introduced to West End as a child by his father, Joseph Markiewicz.
“My dad brought me here,” he said. “We all grew up together, it’s like a family.”
Lt. Markiewicz is trained in operation of all the company’s apparatus, but specializes in operating its 2,250-gallon-per-minute pumper equipped with 5,000 feet of hose.
Eddie Isgate, a 35-year veteran at West End, is a member of its water rescue squad.
A trained scuba diver, he has searched waterways for evidence in police operations and combed the depths of abandoned strip mines.
“We’ve been called,” he said, “to incidents as far away as Tunkhannock.”
Staying alive
With 100 dues-paying members, about half of them active, West End faces challenges similar to other volunteer fire companies.
Supported by a $250,000 FEMA grant, the company has purchased 25 self-contained breathing apparatus for its firefighters.
Though its equipment is in fine shape, replacing one of its trucks would cost more than $1 million. Turnout gear costs $6,000 each.
Organizing food sales, used vehicle raffles and online sales have become a necessary part of running a fire company.
“The hardest challenge is not fighting fires,” Chief Markiewicz said, “it’s raising the finances needed to keep us going.”
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