Member Since: 1955
Current Position(s): Chief Emeritus
Past Position(s): Chief (for 35 years), Assistant Chief, Engineer, Firefighter
Hobbies: Motorhome and Poodle Rescue (fostering dogs and placing them in new homes for the last 15 years)
Most Memorable Experience: WAY BACK RUS BENNETT OPERATING AUX ON SPRING MILL RD. SUPPLYING ALL THE WATER FOR THE WOOD ESTATE FIRE. STA 39/23 & 24. LEAVING WORK FOR THE AUTOCAR FIRE AND FINDING GLADWYNE IN SERVICE HAVING LAYED FROM WOODSIDE AND MONTGOMERY AVE FIGHTING THE REAR OF THE FIRE AND DOING ONE HELL OF A JOB WITH NO HELP. AS PHILA TOOK OVER THE FRONT.
SHORTLY AFTER WE PURCHASED THE 67 HAHN WITH DELUGE GUN PREPIPED (UNHEARD OF THEN) PAIDPERSON GEORGE GRAY LAID IN TO WORKING FIRE ON MILL CREEK TERRACE AND LED OFF WITH DELUGE GUN ON WOOD SHINGLE ROOF WELL INVOLVED, AND MADE A HASTY KNOCK DOWN THAT ENABLED THE CREWS WITH 1 1/2 TO GO INSIDE AND MOP IT UP.
GLADWYNE HAS ALWAYS BEEN A LEADER IN SO MANY THINGS, BILL ARMSTRONG WHO CONVINCED US TO START A JUNIOR PROGRAM THAT HE RECRUITED THE MEMBERS WROTE THE GUIDELINE AND BECAME CAPT. OF LONG BEFORE ANYONE IN LMTWP WOULD ACCEPT THE IDEA. YES WE DID HAVE ONE BAD APPLE THAT THEY WEEDED OUT, AND HELPED THE CONSHOHOCKEN POLICE CONFRONT & RESOLVE. OUR FIRST FEMALE MEMBER LEE MCGLINN FROM HAVERFORD WHO WORKED FOR DR GENSER WE ACCEPTED AS ONE OF US. SHE WAS ALWAYS IN THE TOP ATTENDENCE AND RODE ON THE BACK OF THE AUTOCAR AT HER WEDDING.
ONE OF THE THINGS A NORMAL PERSON WILL NEVER REALIZE IS IT Doesn't MATTER HOW MUCH OUR PERSONALITIES AND BACK GROUND DIFFER WHEN THE CHIPS ARE DOWN WE JOINED TOGETHER TO HELP THOSE IN NEED OF OUR SERVICES WE STICK TOGETHER AND PRESENT A UNITED GROUP OF DEDICATED PERSONS FROM THE GLADWYNE FIRE COMPANY.
ON A STORMY NIGHT WITH MULTIPLE CALLS SAM ROSEN AND I WERE IN THE STATION WHEN A CALL CAME IN FOR A HOUSE FIRE ON MAPLE HILL RD. ALL OF THE TRUCKS WERE COMMITED TO OTHER CALLS IN GLADWYNE, 24-11 WAS IN THE STA, SO SAM AND I TOOK IN THE CALL WITH THE SNORKEL.
UPON ARRIVAL WE HAD FIRE SHOWING ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE SECOND FLOOR NEARS THE CHIMNEY. SAM LED OFF WITH 1 3/4 CROSS LAY AND I BACKED HIM UP WITH TOOLS AFTER PLACING PUMP IN SERVICE. WE HAD THE FIRE KNOCKED DOWN PRIOR TO HELP ARRIVING FROM ARD. AND THE OTHER GLADWYNE TRUCKS. THIS WAS A BIG REINFORCEMENT THAT NO MATTER WHO THE MEMBER OF GFC ARE IF THEY HAVE THE TRAINING THEY WILL SHINE WHEN THE CHIPS ARE DOWN.
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