By Mary Pickels
The Pittsburgh Tribune Review
CARBON, Pa. — In unrelenting snow, the junior members of Carbon Volunteer Fire Department were there.
George Reese said he is proud of the Hempfield department’s eight junior firefighters, who reported to the fire station when heavy snow began to fall Feb. 5.
“This group of young firemen has been such an asset to me and the volunteer fire department, and a blessing to the community in the times we had last week,” Reese said. “They really act like young men. There was no school all week, and they were there all week for me.”
The junior firefighters, ages 14-19, spent hours responding with senior firefighters to numerous calls. They helped out at the station, which sheltered residents without power. They helped to get a generator to Kelly & Zemba’s Personal Care Home on Willow Crossing Road, after power failed, keeping the 11 residents safe.
Supervisor Gretchen Young said firefighters came to the home Saturday and Sunday to check on the residents. Power returned Sunday evening.
“They were of great assistance,” Young said.
The junior firefighters helped to bring residents of Menock Manor mobile home community, who lost power, to the warming shelter.
“We had so many calls, Friday through Monday,” Reese said. “People were asking for generators, asking us to make welfare checks.”
Susan Carolan, whose son, Evan, is a junior firefighter with Carbon, nominated the members as “storm heroes.”
“These unselfish young men deserve to be recognized for their spirit of giving and putting the needs of others before their own,” she wrote in an e-mail. “I hope the next time a member of the fire department is soliciting funds for their annual fund drive, sponsoring a fish fry, selling hoagies, etc., people stop to remember the numerous ways the firemen helped them not only over the past few particularly difficult days, but the many ways they serve our community on a daily basis.
“We should be proud of all of them.”
Reese said the eight were “too shy” to talk about their work, preferring to remain quiet heroes in their community.
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