From the Firehouse by Jack Halchak, Past Chief HFD
August 2021
The Hurleyville Fire Department is always looking for help, to fight fire or support those that do. We even supply all of the gear and provide all of the training needed, for free. Stop by any Monday night and find out how you can help or get an application.
It is with great sadness that I report that the Fire Department lost 49-year member Lionel “Lee” “Uncle” Berger. Lee was a past Commissioner of the Hurleyville Fire District and a very active member of the Hurleyville Emergency Relief Squad. I worked many days and calls with Lee on the ambulance squad. He would always ask how I was, how is MaryAnn and how is Austin? What’s going on in the Fire Department? Then we would usually solve one or two problems of the world. He will be missed by all. Rest in Peace, Lee.
On a positive note the Fire Department traveled to the Hancock Parade and Field Days and had a great day. They came home with three trophies; Best Appearing Rescue Truck, Best Appearing Sullivan County Fire Department, and Best Overall in the Parade. Hancock is in Delaware County, and they awarded trophies for best appearing in Sullivan County and Pennsylvania and best overall. Everybody had a great time.
Looking ahead the 10th Annual Bill Carlson Golf Classic is Saturday, August 21 at Tarry Brae golf course with a shotgun start at 1 p.m. For more information, you can call John Jaycox @ (845) 866-6431. Then the Fire Department will travel to Hortonville for their annual field day on Saturday August 28. In September, the Sullivan County Volunteer Firefighters Association parade will be held in Grahamsville this year on September 18.
Fire calls continue to be up this summer with more drownings on the Delaware and there was one in Old Falls on the Neversink. The rivers are unforgiving. With all of the rain that we have had the rivers are higher than normal and the current is stronger. If you are a weak swimmer or even a strong swimmer, wear your personnel floatation device (PFD) whenever you are near the edge of a water body. Motor vehicle accidents are also on the rise along with activated alarms. If you have an alarm systems hooked up to a service, please maintain it to help prevent false activations.
Traffic in town is also on the rise. Most stores do not have a back entrance, so all of the deliveries are coming in through the front door of the business. Delivery trucks are blocking a lane to unload with most parking spaces occupied during the day. Please be aware when opening your vehicle door into traffic.
Also, remember that a firetruck is wider than a car and we need a little more room to get through town when both sides of the road have parked cars and there is a delivery truck parked on Main Street.
If you don’t have your 911 number posted in front of your house please do it now. Help the emergency services find you. We can see the smoke but you cannot see a CO alarm or a heart attack.