Timothy Focht, EASTERN Protective Services/Upper Moreland HS Senior, Achieves Eagle Scout Status

Eastern Center for Arts and Technology (EASTERN) Protective Services/Upper Moreland High School senior, Timothy Focht, has recently achieved Eagle Scout status through Troop 305 out of St. David’s in Willow Grove. Timothy has been a member of the Willow Grove Fire Company for the past two years. After great consideration, Timothy chose a three-tiered project to help clean and organize the fire company’s equipment room, clean all compartments in the fire trucks and refurbish any and all tools in those compartments, and wash the fire trucks.

Timothy’s first step was to organize the equipment room in order to make things easier to find for the firefighters and volunteers.  He removed and disposed of old fire gear and created an inventory of all items stored in the room. He then went into all individual compartments in the fire trucks and refurbished all tools and then cleaned and vacuumed each compartment. And last, but not least, Timothy washed the fire trucks.

From Monday through Friday from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. the Willow Grove Fire Company has a paid staff, but otherwise it is a volunteer organization, so volunteers such as Timothy respond to emergencies as often as possible.  Over the past two years at the fire company, he has gained a great deal of knowledge about the firefighting field and has made a lot of great friends.  Already a volunteer firefighter as a sophomore in high school, Timothy saw EASTERN’s Protective Services program as the logical next step.

Timothy’s father, Brian Focht, is currently the Fire Chief at Willow Grove Fire Company, so Timothy has essentially grownup at the fire company.  Fire Chief Focht is also a member of EASTERN’s Protective Service’s Occupational Advisory Committee, which is a group of local business and industry professionals that assist our faculty and administration to decide curriculum and tools used in each program.

“I chose this Eagle Scout project because I wanted to give back to the fire company, said Timothy.  “I walked around and saw what really needed to get done, and picked the biggest things.  A lot of other volunteer firefighters assisted me to support the fire company.  They were happy to help because they have a lot of pride in our fire company. I came to EASTERN’s Protective Services program for hands-on experience in a career field that I want to pursue.  Instead of hearing about a career you want to enter, you can actually come to EASTERN and do it.”

Ultimately, Timothy would like to pursue firefighting as a career.  Currently, Timothy is working on his plan for next year.  He has it narrowed down to enlisting in the U.S. Air Force or enrolling in the Fire Science program at Montgomery County Community College.

EASTERN is a public school serving students in nine Eastern Montgomery County school districts. Those districts include Abington, Bryn Athyn, Cheltenham, Hatboro-Horsham, Jenkintown, Lower Moreland, Springfield, Upper Dublin and Upper Moreland. Students benefit from specialized career programs that give them a competitive edge in college or in a career.  The campus is at 3075 Terwood Road in Willow Grove. For more information, please contact Amy Shields, Organizational Advancement Director, at 215-784-4806, or visit the school’s website at www.eastech.org.  Like Us?  Become a fan on Facebook – www.Facebook.com/EasternCenter, and follow us on Twitter and Instagram @EasternCenter.

Photo: Timothy Focht