Herman VFC reflects on history, future
As the Herman Volunteer Fire Company marks 75 years of service this year, leaders at the department are looking ahead by recruiting and preparing future firefighters, raising funds to support their work and planning ways to be there for the community for the next 75 years.
Many members of the company have two primary concerns in their minds moving forward: money and people.
While current fundraising efforts are successful, rising costs of equipment and apparatus have members feeling cautious. The company’s most recent truck purchase cost more than $900,000, compared to $275,000 in 1997.
Another challenge is membership. Fire company members, including Kevin Hansotte, said they believe this trend is due to multiple factors, such as lack of local opportunities and the wrong impression that firefighting is action-packed.
“We probably spend 70% of our time raising money and 30% of our time fighting fires,” Hansotte said.
The origins the Herman VFC are partially lost to time. The company was officially established Aug. 20, 1949. Shortly after, Herman VFC purchased its first engine, a 1937 Chevrolet, from the Leechburg Volunteer Fire Department.
At first, the company operated out of a garage, and all phone calls were directed to a nearby gas station, which passed on messages. Construction of the first proper station was started shortly after the company was established and was built in sections during the first few years.
One of the earliest challenges Herman VFC faced was its finances. In the 1960s, money became so tight that basic needs could not always be met.
“At the meeting, they would pass around a hat. If they didn’t have enough money to pay the bills, the hat was passed around again,” Dave Barry, an active member, said.
At times, members of the department would make large out-of-pocket donations to fix equipment failures or other off-budget expenses. However, the fundraising the department was able to achieve began to relieve financial concerns.
In 1989, a raffle was established to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the fire company. The raffle became so popular at one point that it was able to offer a grand prize of $24,000.
“It was a big thing on the Western side of the state. You could go down to Pittsburgh and people knew about the Herman raffle,” 2nd Lt. Darren Osche said. The fire company hosts several annual fundraising events alongside the continued monthly raffle.
In the ’90s, the average size of fire apparatus had surpassed what could reasonably fit in the station. When the department purchased a tanker truck, a separate garage had to be built to fit it.
Then, while looking to purchase a new engine in the late 1990s, restrictions on height, length and width had to be set. Ultimately, a specially modified engine was created to fit the restrictions of the station.
In 1998, the company decided to build a new station. The project broke ground in 2000, and no taxpayer money was used in its construction. The construction relied heavily on volunteers from both the company and the larger community.
“Our volunteers are a microcosm of our community. We can get as many as 50 people in to help us, and they’re not firefighters,” Barry said. “They’re just people in the community.”
The new station was designed with its own economics in mind. The building features in-floor heating and a passive solar design that allows for low heating costs through the winter.
The history of financial hardships has since given way to a culture of preservation for the equipment Herman VFC uses. The most senior members have made it their mission to both teach and practice heavy maintenance in hopes of passing it down to the next generation.
“We don’t skimp on our gear. We buy the best gear that’s out there, but that’s not because we want it flashy. It’s for our safety. We want to make sure we’re protecting our folks,” Chief Rob Shuler said.
For the future, the members of Herman VFC hope to help keep themselves ahead of the curve.
In the past, specialized equipment, such as a rescue utility terrain vehicle and a medical response truck, have helped the company address unique calls. Herman VFC has also worked with the Department of Homeland Security to test new firefighting equipment.
Those efforts to try new things and stay ahead on technological advances will continue, members said.
Shuler hopes the sense of pride the department members feel also continues.
“There’s no better feeling than when we go on a call that turns out positive, and you look around and there’s 15 of us standing there. It’s like … look at what we just did,” Shuler said. “We came together, and we all got home safe. We saved this person and gave them another shot at life.”
For the members of Herman VFC, the company can be much more than just fighting fires and saving lives. For them, it has become a family that each member can rely on.
“This company means security. I didn’t realize when I first started, but as you get older, you start to see you have a group here,” Barry said. “If anything happens at home or with any of my family, one call and I know they’re coming.”
