THE MAYOR’S REPORT: Greencastle updates, driving fire apparatus and Gold Star families
How about this April weather! Lots of rain. Lots of wind. Lots of cool weather and some beautiful, welcome sunshine. It’s certainly April, isn’t it? This Sunday has been cool and cloudy, so no porch sittin’ this weekend.
I’m writing about what it’s like to drive fire apparatus and what training is needed to accomplish many tasks. All of this and more in just a few clicks, but first, grab some hot coffee on a chilly day or some iced tea if it’s warming up. I’m in the family room where I’ve turned off the a/c and turned the heat on, at least for a few days. We’ll experience hot weather soon.
Improving the streetscape:North Washington Street project will boost safety and walkability
Pictures of the celebration:Check out the Greencastle-Antrim Craft Beer, Wine and Spirits Festival
Let’s provide some updates. Greencastle public works has been busy (weather permitting) replacing water service lines in the first two blocks of North Washington Street. Water service replacement is nearing completion then the general contractor, Ganoe Paving, will mobilize equipment for the complete street rebuild.
Public works employees also helped many residents offload their bulk items this past Friday and Saturday morning at the borough garage. What a great program offered free of charge to our residents.
What’s happening with MS-4 (Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System) requirements? Greencastle is on a five-year waiver as approved by the PA Department of Environmental Protection, so planning is on the horizon to ultimately provide an application for another five-year waiver. We’ll all stay tuned for further action by the council later this year and into 2025.
Also, this year, council will commit ARPA (American Rescue Plan Funds) to various expenditures. The Administration and Finance Committee will make recommendations to the full council soon. $379,417 is currently invested in a restricted account that must be committed by Dec. 31, 2024, and expended after that.
Let’s visit operating fire apparatus. I started driving the big red rigs in the late 1970s. Back then, you served as an apprentice and were taught by seasoned apparatus operators like Don Eshleman, Clarence Stotler, Bill Shatzer, Don Sheffler, and others. It was truly on-the-job (volunteer) training. I first drove 1951 and 1956 International pumpers. The 1951 had a six-volt electrical system and a Motorola tube, two-way radio along with a manual Federal siren. If the officer was talking on the radio and pressing the foot pedal for the manual siren at night-time, you lost most of your headlights. Oh, how times have changed.
Not only did you hone your driving skills, but you also took pump operations and hydraulics courses while learning the Greencastle hydrant system, flow capacities and how to draft water from ponds and streams. Hose length evolutions and formulas were studied for friction loss depending on the distance and volume of water being pumped.
In the 1980s Pennsylvania started EVOC (Emergency Vehicle Operator Course) training. I was one of several instructors at the Rescue Hose Company. There you advanced your skills, both in the classroom and driving the various apparatus. That included driving forward and reverse techniques. Vehicle weight, height and physics were a part of the course. At the same time, I had advanced police driver training in Harrisburg. In all these classes, safety was number one. Apparatus operators also must undergo physical examinations and go through pump operations evolutions to keep up their skills on a regular basis.
The engines of the 1950-through-1970 period had center mounted Barton American pumps of Battle Creek, Mich. All vehicles were red in color and had gasoline engines. You pulled up to the scene, engaged the manual transmission to the fifth gear and switched the lever to engage the pump. Listening was quickly an acquired skill as you heard the pump impellers begin to circulate. As you pulled the pump panel lever, water from the tank would open into the pump. You would then charge the appropriate hose line or multiple hose lines with firefighters at the nozzle to extinguish the fire. You had to make sure enough water was feeding your engine from a fire hydrant, tanker, or through a relay system from other engines. There were no coffee breaks as you were standing outside at the pump panel no matter the weather. Firefighters rode the rear step back then holding on to a chrome rail and to each other while responding to an emergency.
Driving apparatus takes a team. The line officers, firefighters, fire police, emergency medical personnel, all work hand-in-hand for the protection of life and property.
Today, technology is much greater, and all the apparatus has automatic transmissions powered by diesel engines. You still engage the pump which has many more valves and levers compared to the pumps of yesterday on the orange and white painted apparatus. The pump system is aided by a computer that regulates pressure and volume. You still must have adequate water intake coming into the modern pumper. All personnel ride inside a cab safety structure with full gear and ready access to self-contained breathing apparatus (air packs). Digital two-way radios, solid state electronic sirens and LED lighting illuminate the night aid at the scene of fires, motor vehicle crashes and the other calls the Rescue Hose Company responds to 24 hours a day.
The 1956 engine I used to drive cost the Rescue Hose Company $25,000. Now, a new engine costs over one million dollars plus the equipment.
I close with a request. Remember our Gold Star families who have lost loved ones in service to our great nation. April 23 is the 13th year of Master Sergeant Ben Bitner’s passing. This native son of Greencastle was serving his 10th deployment, United States Army, Green Beret, when he was killed in action in Afghanistan.
We support his family and honor his memory. Because of those who serve this community and country, we are certainly blessed.