When Volunteer Firefighting Becomes a Family Affair

Dads have earned a solid reputation for giving their kids guidance and direction, but for the firefighting dads of Bucks County, they have given their kids much more: the vision and courage to follow in their footsteps—oftentimes into burning buildings.

In celebration of Father’s Day, the Bucks County Fire Chiefs and Firefighters Association is paying tribute to dads who volunteer and the generations they have inspired by sharing their stories and encouraging others to volunteer. 

“Volunteering for fire service is one of the most important things you can do,” said Bucks County Fire Chiefs and Firefighters Association Recruiting Committee Co-Chair Rob Kay.  “It allows you to show the importance of service to the community through actions instead of words, and often times it turns into a family tradition—a legacy.”

Jerry Barton joined the Langhorne Fire Company in 1975 to continue that tradition because he was proud of his dad.

“I joined when I was 16,” Jerry said.  “I wanted to be just like my dad.”

Jerry’s father Jerome had moved the family from Philadelphia in the mid-60s, and he quickly joined the fire company where he rose to the level of deputy chief. 

Jerry joined up as soon as he could.

“I’d been hanging around the fire house since I was 14.  It was something I always knew I would do,” Jerry said.

Jerry’s father recently passed away, and he’s proud to have the memories of the two of them serving together. 

Jerry added, “It was great serving with my dad.  There were times where he would be driving the truck, and I would be the officer.  It was the best.”

Jerry eventually moved on to the Parkland Fire Company in Penndel, and then a few years later, his son Dave became the third Barton to join the fire service.

“I couldn’t be prouder,” Jerry said.  “He serves at a fire company in Delaware.”

Jerry added that he couldn’t have asked for a better father, and that his dad taught him about the importance of service to the community.

“My dad has always been there for me,” Jerry said.  “Without him I wouldn’t be able to feel the sense of accomplishment I feel doing this job.  There’s not a whole lot of good in this world, but to know that you’re doing some good means a lot.”

Jerry said that firefighters often deal with people on the worst days of their lives, and that it means a lot to him to provide just a little bit of comfort to those people.

“The first thing I do when I get on a scene is explain what’s going to happen to the people involved.  I try to calm them down.  I want them to know that we’re there to help them the best that we can.”

Jerry added, “One time I ran into a woman that we helped save a year later, and she gave me a hug.  Nothing’s better than that.

Unlike Barton, Alyssa Lake restarted that legacy for her family at the Plumsteadville Fire Company.  Her desire to volunteer eventually rubbed off on her dad who’d been away from the fire service for years.

“A lot of my friends were already firefighters,” Lake said.  “A lot them said, ‘That’s awesome.  We’re happy to have you.’”

Still, Lake is a senior in high school, and like kids everywhere, sometimes she needed a ride.

“I would drive her to the fire station,” said Alyssa’s dad, John.  “She started to get really involved, and pretty soon I got back into it.”

John Lake started firefighting when he was 16.  He took a break when he started having a family.  Now, he’s back at it with his daughter. 

“It’s really cool to be working with my dad,” Alyssa said.  “I don’t get to see him a lot between school and my job and his job.  I would always hear the stories, but now to see him in action is pretty great.”

“She’s doing what she wants to do,” John said.  “We’re really proud of her.  She’s a third generation firefighter now.”

John got his dad involved in firefighting after he started training as a junior, just like Alyssa got him involved again. 

“I have a cousin who does this at Chalfont,” Alyssa said.  “Then there’s my dad and my grandpa.  Being a firefighter is a lot of hard work, but there’s a real adrenaline rush when you’re getting to a scene, and the rush continues when you get there, and you know you can help someone.”

Alyssa just graduated from Fire I training, and her dad is back helping the community.

“She was in the firehouse every day when she was younger,” John said.  “It’s something she’s been around her whole life.”

“It feels really good to help the community,” Alyssa said.  “I’m glad my family can help.”

Throughout Bucks County, fathers have passed the tradition of volunteer fire service down to their sons and daughters ensuring a legacy that, in some cases, goes back several generations.

Here are several firefighters across Bucks who are continuing their family’s tradition.

Kyle McCallister (Ivyland Fire Company): Kyle McCallister is 18, and he runs his own landscaping business.  His dad is a firefighter, and he’s known since he was a kid that he wanted to follow in his father’s footsteps.  “My dad was a fire chief in New Jersey, and I knew ever since I was six sitting in the longue of the firehouse with him that this is something I wanted to do,” McCallister said. 

Mark Stanford (Langhorne-Middletown Fire Company): Mark is 21, and a third generation firefighter.  His grandfather joined the fire service in the mid-60s after two children died in a barn fire outside of town.  Mark’s grandfather said that nothing like that would happen again in his town if he could help it. “It’s important to pass down that service to community,” Mark said when asked about what it means to be a third generation firefighter.  “It’s important to teach service through actions and not just words.”  Mark said that it’s been a cool experience to have his dad show him the ropes as well as hear stories about his grandfather and dad from the other firefighters.

Joe Ruggiero (Cornwells Fire Company): Joe comes from a firefighting family in the truest sense of the word.  His dad was a firefighter as is his son.  Joe met his wife in the fire service, and the majority of her extended family is volunteers.  “I always knew my son was going to be a firefighter,” Ruggiero said.  “We bought him a swing set when he was six, and he turned it into his own fire station.  He would spray it down with the hose at least once a week.”  Ruggiero also said he couldn’t be prouder now that his son has started training to become a firefighter.  “It’s phenomenal to see him out there,” Ruggiero said.  “I’ve done a lot of things, but nothing compares to seeing him out there throwing ladders and being as good and a hard worker as he is.”

Hayes Hissin (Riegelsville): Hayes started as junior firefighter since at age 13.  He’s now 18.  His dad has been a firefighter since before he was born, and Hayes just kind of fell into it.  “It kind of just happened.  I would be at the fire station for the monthly breakfast, and it just kind of progressed from there.”  Hissin loves working with his dad who also serves as the deputy chief.  “It’s great to see.  It’s great to watch him do it for all these years and then to be able to do it with him means a lot.”  Hissin also thinks that firefighting is pretty fun.  “The guys at the firehouse became a new family for me.  It’s not something everyone gets to do, so to help the community with my dad as well as the other guys at the firehouse means a lot.”

Andrew Boyle (William Penn Fire Company Hulmeville): Boyle, 15, always knew he wanted to be a firefighter, what he didn’t expect was to learn so much about his dad.  “I always noticed that he was pretty ‘OCD’ at home.  Things had to be done a particular way.  When I started at the firehouse I found out the guys all call him ‘Monk’ like the television character.  I thought that was pretty great.”  Boyle dreams of becoming a Philadelphia firefighter where he can continue helping people.  “Joining the fire service is a great idea.  It’s a way to meet new people and have a positive impact on the community.”  Boyle says he likes that you don’t have to look for recognition as a volunteer firefighter.  “It’s something you can feel,” Boyle said.  Still, he hears his dad’s best advice echoing in his head every day.  “Take it slow.  Learn what you’re doing before you do it.  Don’t jump right in.”

If you’re interested in continuing your family’s tradition, or starting one of your own, please visit www.bucksfire.org for more information about volunteer opportunities available in Bucks County.