On a serenely beautiful night in Washington Township five volunteer firemen were honored for their courageous efforts in late August to rescue two of their neighbors from a deadly house fire.
The fire, located on Lenape Road in Washington Township, tragically claimed the life of Richard Minford who succumbed to his injuries a few days later.
Last Thursday night, the Washington Township Board of Supervisors along with Berks County State Representative, David Maloney presented Scott Kauffman, Sage Mutter, Warren Bechtel, Jacob Benfield, and Jesse Cook with commendations for their heroic work. Eastern Berks Fire Chief, Mike Mutter, noted he has been a fireman with the all-volunteer fire company for 35 years and never experienced such a "horrible event." Mutter said he hoped never to see such an event again.
Chief Mutter explained once the fire alarm call came into the fire department two firemen who live near the Minford property were on the site within two minutes. Mutter said the first fire truck arrived within 5 minutes. He explained volunteer firemen give up their time to "train all the time for a one-time event." He noted volunteer firemen do not volunteer for glory, but to serve their fellow citizens.
Families of volunteer firemen sacrifice time with their loved ones so that the firemen can train and are prepared for any emergency. Anyone who has ever been in a first tier burn hospital will understand the danger a fireman faces when he or she rushes into a burning building to rescue someone. Firemen put themselves, and by extension their families, at risk to save the life of another person.
Pennsylvania State Representative, David Maloney, explained the event to honor the five firemen was intended to show support for what firemen do every day. Maloney noted he has sponsored legislation that is not yet passed that would declare September 27th each year as "First Responder Day."
Maloney explained families of volunteer firemen are impacted daily because of the firemen's "selfless actions." The Pennsylvania House of Representatives citation Maloney presented to the five volunteers was signed by the Speaker of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, Michael Coyne Turzai, by the Chief Clerk of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, Dave Reddecliff, and by State Representative Maloney. The citation pays tribute to the five volunteers for "putting their own safety aside for the good of others."
Maloney noted not everyone makes the fire call within the first 5 minutes. It takes a team. Maloney presented each of the volunteers with an American flag. Additionally, Maloney had the flag of the United States of America flown over the state capitol on September 11 to honor each of the five firemen for their bravery and service.