EVENTS
2006 County Convention Parade
Colligdale Fire Companies
The ever-changing weather just prior to the past weekend was a topic of discussion to many area residents and members of the Yeadon Fire Company. The local volunteers had spent some extra efforts in preparing three pieces of the local fire apparatus for a special parade. While this group of trained volunteer community service providers has never become serious contenders in parade competition, they have been once more buoyed by recent activities.
Chief Craig Jeffries explained, “With the increasing amount of fire and emergency medical activities we routinely respond, we cannot find the time to become super parade ready like some organizations. We do keep our skills and the preparedness of our training and equipment up to date.”
The special events being celebrated by this parade were the combined focus of two anniversaries. One of the special events being celebrated was a proud century of community service provided by the Collingdale Fire Company No. 1. The second premier event was the 100th Anniversary of Delaware County Fireman's Association
Throughout the parade route for the Saturday, June 3 celebration resident accepted the invitation of the Collingdale Fire Company No. 1 to decorate their homes. For many of the residents, their decorations were also an early preparation for the community’s annual July 4 celebration.
When the judging of the apparatus attending the Collingdale parade was completed, the Yeadon firefighters joined the other attendees in awaiting the announcement of the awards. When the award announcements began Yeadon’s firefighters were surprised when they learned that they had once more been positively evaluated. The biggest surprise was the first place award received for the 1980 Aerial ladder.
Upon hearing of this award, Assistant Chief Mike Melazzo commented, “Winning this award comes with special recognition. We won an award in a category for ‘antique fire apparatus’ with a piece of firefighting apparatus that is still in service.”
The award category that provided this unexpected first-place award is titled, “Best Appearing, Most Functional Aerial Ladder, 1989 and Older.” Melazzo explained that apparatus of this age is rarely used in daily service. He added, “Not many people are driving cars on a daily basis that are 26 years old. We are trusting the lives of both firefighters and our residents with a very tired and hard to maintain piece of fire apparatus that more than a quarter-century old.”
The pride of the Yeadon firefighters was even also elevated by the two additional awards they received at the centennial parade. The Tactical pumper and the EMS unit won second place awards in the countywide evaluation.
A collection of the proud Yeadon Fire Company members show the three awards the earned during the judging of regional fire apparatus at a Collingdale parade celebrating the century of service provided by that community’s Collingdale Fire Company No. 1 and the 100 years of support by the Delaware County Fireman’s Association.
Rear, left to right: Captain Mike DiIenno, Lieutenant Lyle Kunkle, Mark Hudson, Assistant Chief Mike Melazzo, and Marvin Solomon. Kneeling, left to right: Lieutenant Joe McCarty, K-9 Lucky, Kim McCarty, and Beth Ann DiIenno.
photos courtesy of FF Daisy Artiles
LANSDOWNE TRI-HOUSING
Following the Saturday, May 20 parade and dedication for the Lansdowne Fire Company’s new aerial ladder, firefighters from throughout the region waited for the outcome of the evaluation and judging process for the fire and emergency medical apparatus that attended the “housing” ceremony.
While the Yeadon Fire Company, unlike many other similar organizations, does not have a competitive motivation for such awards, the men and women from Yeadon had hopes that their everyday preparedness and physical appearance might earn some recognition for the local apparatus.
In describing the steps of preparedness employed by those organizations whose parade goals are fiercely competitive, Chief Craig Jeffries, commented, “While Yeadon’s apparatus is always clean, well-maintained and staffed by fire ground professionals, we don’t have the time to make our apparatus look like, ‘freshly minted’ vehicles. We have too much fire and EMS activity for than image.”
Nevertheless, when the awards were announced, there was no shortchanging of awards for the preparedness and training levels incorporated in Yeadon’s evaluation during the competitive review. Five pieces of apparatus attending the Lansdowne Fire Company’s dedication were recipients of awards.
Describing these awards, Chief Craig Jeffries stressed, “There is an old saying that states that no one ever remembers who finishes in second place. Nothing proved to be farther from the truth this past weekend. By bringing home five second-place honors and not being a traditional ‘parade group,’ is a valued honor for our crews.”
These awards were earned by a diverse collection of Yeadon Fire Company Ambulance apparatus. Three of the five award-winning pieces of firefighting equipment have been purchased by non-tax funds raised by the local firefighters. One winner in this group was the Tactical Unit, a specially designed piece of fire apparatus used for field fires, off-the-road emergencies, and vehicle fires. The combination mobile air back used to refill the self-contained breathing apparatus used by firefighters and rescue unit was another winner in this recent evaluation. A Yeadon Fire Company Ambulance also was highly evaluated and received this honored recognition.
The remaining two items of award-winning equipment are older pieces of apparatus, with each having an interesting history. A not-so-new 1991 Chevrolet sedan, formerly a Yeadon Police car and Code Enforcement vehicle, is now functioning as a fire company vehicle and the antique category Yeadon Fire Company aerial ladder turned many heads. While “tired” and well historied, both units still have a visual appeal. This was validated by their recognition at the Lansdowne event.
Returning from the Lansdowne Aerial Ladder truck dedication, a group of Yeadon firefighters happily displayed the trophies they were awarded.
A sample of the clean up and maintenance crew of Yeadon firefighters are shown displaying the five trophies they earned last weekend in an apparatus evaluation.
The workers include top row left to right, Daisy Artiles, Al Reed, Mark Hudson, Ed Blake, Ed Dunlap, Michael Melazzo, Craig Jeffries, Jr., Michael DiIenno, Rufus Stokes, Ray Gallo, Sr., Marvin Solomon, Jordan Robinson and Lyle Kunkle
The bottom row, left to right, includes Joe McCarty, Lucky (dog), Kim McCarty, Nicole DiIenno, and Craig Jeffries, III
Thank you to all the members who worked hard all week to make this a winning day for Yeadon Fire Company No 1
COMBINED COMPANY DRILL
Taking advantage of a favorable weather forecast, four area fire companies assembled on Sunday March 26 for an active training session. Using an unoccupied structure at the Little Flower Manor, Darby, the fire, rescue, and emergency medical crews practiced both routine and special skills, as well as integrating their individual operating practices into a single activity. Hosted by the Darby Fire Company No. 1, an aerial ladder and EMS unit from Yeadon, a pumper from Colwyn and a rescue from Collingdale Fire Company No.1 assemble at the Springfield Road health care facility. During the morning-into-afternoon training exercise a controlled burn and a smoke generator provided the realism needed for an exercise of this type. In describing the training process Yeadon Fire Chief Craig Jeffries volunteered, “Not only did the individual firefighter gain experience and confidence, the bigger result was
the smooth meshing of the different apparatus.” Chief Jeffries explained that the skills being practiced and perfected included ground and aerial ladder usage, horizontal and vertical ventilation, search and rescue operations, and the use of interior hose lines.
During a visit to the Yeadon Fire Company, President Kiwanis Club of Yeadon Gerry Connelly proudly continued its support of community efforts when he presented two awards to the Yeadon Fire Company. The awards of $1000 for firefighting efforts and $500 for the emergency medical activities were accepted with gratitude by Yeadon Fire Company President Ed Dunlap.
Over a period of many years, there has been an ongoing bond between these two institutions. Each has played important roles in community services. During this historic period it was not unusual to see members of one of the two groups also serving as members of the other.
President Dunlap stressed that with the escalation of cost for most items used by the fire and EMS services within the volunteer, community service providing organization, these unexpected funds could not have come at a better time.
The Yeadon Fire Company gladly appreciates these donations