Paoli Fire Company Launches New Effort to Recruit Volunteers

Paoli, PA...Paoli Fire Company has launched a new effort to find more volunteers.

“When someone in our service area needs emergency help, it is most often a group of highly trained volunteers from their own community who answer that call. That’s why our slogan is ‘Neighbor Helping Neighbor,’” said Paoli Chief Andrea Testa. “Simply put, we need more of our neighbors to get involved.”

While Paoli Fire is a combination department with both volunteer and career members, it is led by volunteers, including Testa, and most firefighters are volunteers. Career firefighter/EMT and paramedic team members work alongside volunteers and supplement response during times when most volunteers are working.

Some members of the community might not realize the important roles volunteers play at the fire company or that no experience is necessary to join, Testa said.

“One of the truly amazing things about Paoli Fire Company is how men and women from many different walks of life and backgrounds come together to care for this community,” she said. “We provide free training and gear. If you have the will to serve your community in this essential way, we will teach you how.”

The Challenges, Thrills, and Satisfaction of Volunteer Firefighting

Paoli Fire Captain Bob Robie, 54, is in his ninth year of volunteering. He was inspired to serve his community by his late brother, who was an EMT and director of a Maine ambulance service. “I chose the firefighting side because I knew every call would be something different, a different adventure,” Robie said. “The challenge, the thrill, and the satisfaction of helping others made me never look back.”

Robie, who runs his family’s oil and fuel testing companies, had no previous fire fighting experience. That soon did not matter. He has earned certification in basic and advanced firefighting, hazardous materials awareness and operations, and vehicle rescue. He’s proud to have the skills to help in so many different situations.

Strong friendships that feel like family are formed at the fire company and Robie said there’s nothing more satisfying than working as a team to help a neighbor. “Whether it’s a fire, or somebody’s basement is flooded, or there’s another emergency, we all work together. And people know they are going to get through it, because we’re there to help.”

Join an Innovative Fire Company Focused on Community Needs

Paoli Fire Company members, volunteer and career alike, take pride in PFC’s commitment to both on-going training and innovation. In recent years, Paoli Fire:

Was the first fire company in Pennsylvania to earn the Certified Autism Center™ designation. This designation is granted by the International Board of Credentialing and Continuing Education Standards (IBCCES), which means the public-facing staff and firefighters at Paoli Fire Company have received training through IBCCES to better understand and assist autistic individuals or those with sensory sensitivities. The program was designed to provide staff with scenario-based suggestions to de-escalate and communicate effectively with individuals who need their assistance.

Became a state-certified Advanced Life Support (ALS) provider, allowing Paoli ambulance crews to run IV lines, administer medications - including nitroglycerin for someone having a heart
attack - and perform emergency airway procedures to help a patient breathe.

Earned its EMS for Children Certification. The state Emergency Medical Services for Children (EMSC), in partnership with the state Department of Health, Bureau of Emergency Services,
and Health Services Council, awarded this highest-level certification after Paoli Fire proved it meant multiple criteria, including that all ambulances carry extra child-sized equipment, every EMT and paramedic receives a minimum of four hours of child-specific medical training, and child-centered community outreach and education are provided.

There are Many Ways to Volunteer!

Paoli Fire Company needs both emergency and non-emergency volunteers to run well, Testa stressed. “Whatever your skill set, we need you here at the fire company,” Testa said.

Current volunteer openings include:

• Firefighters: Life, safety, and the protection of property
• Emergency Medical Services: Emergency medical care and transit.
• Fire Police: Direct traffic, control the scene, and protect emergency responders and the public.
• Juniors: Teens from 16 to 18 can train with and assist firefighters and EMTs.
• Non-emergency Volunteers: Fire prevention/safety education, administrative and maintenance duties, fundraisers, and more.

Take the First Step

All who are interested in volunteering or learning more about doing so should visit paolifirecompany.org/content/join/ and click the red “Tell Me More About Volunteering” button. They can also call the station at 610-644-1712 or come to a training session, held at 7 p.m. every Tuesday at 69 Darby Road.