Firefighters honored in East Freedom memorial service

EAST FREEDOM, Pa. (WTAJ) — More than a dozen firefighters were remembered in a service at the Freedom Township War Memorial on Thursday.

The memorial kicked off the 132nd Central District Volunteer Firemen’s Association Convention.

Since 2018, the Freedom Township Volunteer Fire Company has lost 13 of its members, which made the convention the appropriate place to honor them.

“We sat around, we talk about them. We have good memories with them. You know, we that’s what you do. You can’t you can’t forget anybody. You have their memory with you every day of your life,” Ron Henry, President of the Central District Vol. Firemen’s Association Convention said.

For each name that was read, a flower was placed on the memorial by their loved ones.

“We do remember people. We do remember people that have touched our lives,” Henry said.

Volunteer fire departments have also been struggling to recruit younger members, which is why their role is vital, according to Henry.

“When you have an emergency, we’re the first one to get called no matter what. You know, cat in a tree or a wreck or a house fire, whatever it is, the fire department gets called first and we’re called first responders. And that’s why we get called first,” he said.

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There will be several other events during the convention, including competitions. It serves as the fire company’s biggest fundraiser.

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