Hill School Partners to Help Hospital, 1st Responders

Submitted Photos

Little Italy owner Rocky Citrino and Hill School Human Relations

Director Heather Gelting deliver Good Friday Hoagies to

Pottstown Hospital Friday.

People in the greater Pottstown community continue to demonstrate that we are in fact, a great community.

Here is the latest example provided by The Hill's ever-energetic Cathy Skitko:

Hill School faculty and staff recently took up a collection and raised more than $1,800 to purchase about 300 lunches for medical staff at the hospital and Goodwill Fire Company personnel. 

Through the efforts of Hill's Human Resources director Heather Gelting, the school has been working with the ever-generous Rocky Citrino at Little Italy's with plans to deliver 350 hoagies to Pottstown Hospital and 25 Goodwill, "as our way of saying thank you to the dedicated and heroic EMT, fire, and hospital staff," Skitko wrote.

Goodwill Fire Station also received hoagies from the effort.

Pottstown Hospital as well as other hospitals/emergency personnel are receiving significant deliveries of essential PPE equipment donated by Hill School parents and alumni from China and South Korea.

They organized efforts to gather these much-needed supplies and shipped them to Hill's Elliot Menkowitz, M.D. Wellness Center for distribution as needed throughout our area. 

China is a major producer of these essential products. Some of The Hill donors live in our region but have contacts who helped to make this possible.

Yijuan Qiu, Hill's administrative coordinator and international
family liaison, with a large shipment of masks received April 7.

As the COVID-19 situation was worsening in the U.S., a few Hill parents reached out to Headmaster Zack Lehman and asked what they could do to help our general area in the growing crisis, and he said that PPE support was greatly needed. 

Hill's parents and alumni took it from there.

More than 70 Hill families are participating in this effort, including parents who have enrolled their students for next year for the first time. 

Pottstown Police officer Steve Dise, left,

and Corporal Todd Istenes with masks

donated by The Hill School.

"Hill expects as many as 50,000 masks or more will make their way to healthcare-related facilities in our area via a first stop at Hill's Wellness Center. 

So far, about 20,000 masks of various models have been delivered and distributed (or are in the process of being delivered to their final destinations) since this effort began in late March, according to Dr. Kristin Spencer, Medical Director of Hill's Wellness Center. 

The equipment has found grateful homes, so far, at the Pottstown Hospital; the Pottstown Police Department; Goodwill Fire Company; the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania's emergency department; Keystone Villa Continuing Care Community in Douglassville; and various emergency services/ambulance companies and other healthcare professionals.

Helping to coordinate the effort, in addition to Dr. Spencer, has been Yijuan Qiu, Hill's Administrative Coordinator and International Family Liaison.

Also, before these parents and alumni became involved, masks that were on hand for use in Hill's Science Department were donated by Hill to the local cause.

From left, Carrie Hehn, interim executive director for personal care, Sue Seanor, executive director of independent living and Jonathan Garber, vice president of operations, heritage senior living with masks donated by The Hill School's efforts.

Rescuers Honored During Fire Prevention Month

Photos by Evan Brandt

From left, Norco Fire Chief Joel McMillan, Capt. Matthew Burfete, Battalion Commander Mark Gibson, driver Russell Layre and Battalion Chief Chad Quinter, were recognized Wednesday night for the rescue of a PennDOT bridge inspector who was trapped in mud under the South Hanover Street bridge over the Schuylkill River in June.

October is, among other things, fire prevention month, so it was appropriate for Pottstown to honor some of their own for firefighting and rescue efforts in the past year.

Ironically, the first award went to someone who is not a firefighter.

As recounted by Pottstown Fire Chief Richard Lengel, in the late evening of May 20, a fire was discovered in the attic and roof of a group home for physically handicapped residents in the 1000 block of Logan Street.

Billy Wayne Hill was the supervising caretaker and was recognized for his successful evacuation of all residents and staff before firefighters event arrived.

"As a result, we did not have to expend any resources on search and rescue and we were able to attack the fire immediately," said Lengel.

Next to be recognized were four Pottstown firefighters, a North Coventry fire chief and a paramedic for the June 9 rescue of a PennDOT bridge inspector who became trapped in the mud along the Schuylkill River at the South Hanover Street bridge.

Lengel explained that the situation was more dire than it might seem, both because like quicksand, the more you struggle, the most you can sucked in to the mud. Rescuers also stand a risk of being caught.

And there is even a risk of hypothermia "even in the middle of summer time," Lengel said.

Paramedic Richard Sweeney was in the hospital and could not attend the ceremony, Lengel said. His award is pictured above.

Lengel then offered up some intimidating statistics about the danger of fires, including a disturbing rise in the number of arsons.

Here is some video of his comments, along with video of Mayor Sharon Thomas reading proclamations thanking all four fire companies -- Empire, Goodwill, North End and Phillies -- for their efforts all year long.


Thomas added to Lengel's warnings that there is a danger of fire when charging cell phones in bed and that, like smoking in bed, should be avoided.

"We applaud your diligence, professionalism and courage in assuming your posts and responding to local and regional fire emergencies," Thomas read from the proclamation.

From left, Pottstown Chief Richard Lengel, Empire Chief Brian
Sierocinski, North End Chief Dave Ondik, Goodwill Chief Kevin
Yerger and Phillies Chief Joe Groff.

The mayor also talked about the importance of being aware of domestic violence, and ways to prevent and deal with it, October also being Domestic Violence Awareness Month.

This was followed by a presentation on re-financing the more than $3 million remaining on the bank loan taken out to pay for the new public works facility, and converting it to a bond to save between $175,000 and $200,000.

That money would welcome in helping to close the looming $300,000 gap between projected revenues and expenses in the draft 2017 budget. But you can read all about that on the front page of The Mercury today.

Finally, Assistant Borough Manager Justin Keller updated council on the fact that nine firms have applied for the job of writing a new master plan for Pollock Park on Pottstown's south side.

And if that dandy little summary wasn't enough for you, here are the Tweets and live video. It will be like you were really there ....

Nobody Wins

Monday night's special council meeting requested by the North End Fire Company resulted in several things.

1) Borough council finally got a better taste of what they started when they kicked the merger ball down the hill four years ago.

2) All four fire companies were finally able to speak their minds more freely.

3) Everyone finally acknowledged publicly what everyone has been saying privately: the stumbling block throughout this painful, poorly enacted process all along has been the enmity between the Phillies and Goodwill fire companies.

As became clear in North End Chief Tom Braber's presentation, there has been a rivalry between the two from the very first day.

In the 1800s, some fire equipment had been purchased from Philadelphia and had the name emblazoned on the side.

When the volunteers decided to form the borough's first fire company, two groups argued about the name, and those opposed to "Philadelphia Steam Fire Company" left to form their own fire company.

Yup, Goodwill.

So in many ways, this is just another chapter in a very old story.

"Someday someone will have to explain to me how you can work together so well at a fire scene and then have so much animosity among you once you get back to your firehouses," Borough Council President Stephen Toroney said with a shake of his head.

Up until now, as best I can make out, the consolidation would have been a "win" for Goodwill in the sense that its chief, Kevin Yerger, headed up the committee and would have headed up the new board that was to oversee the new fire company.

The Phillies would have lost their firehouse, their beloved bar room and all their money.

For the Phillies, the best strategy was to win by not losing.

Having rejected the idea of the single fire company for a variety of legitimate (and some less legitimate) reasons I won't go into here, the Phillies instead joined forces with North End to make an alternative proposal -- one fire company, two divisions and everyone keeps their firehouse.

Needless to say, this idea was immediately rejected by Yerger. Which leaves everything just where it was before, some fire companies in agreement, some not and nothing changes.

Assistant North End Chief Dave Saylor took a shot at calling this chasm a "friendly rivalry" that was part of the tradition of firefighting.

In that he is not wrong.

As anyone who has ever seen "Gangs of New York" knows, fire companies in the 1800s were associated with gangs back before and during the Civil War and, as rivals, would actually get into huge brawls at fire scenes over the right to fight the fire -- as the building burned in the background.

The brawl outside the burning building in "Gangs of New York."

This is not a Hollywood creation, as was made clear to me in the History of New York City course I took in college.

It was also touched upon in the most excellent book, "The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt" by Ednumd Morris, which chronicled Roosevelt's efforts to clean corruption out of the New York City Police Department. (The city had two, also rivals.)

Thankfully for Pottstown, as Saylor correctly noted and the evidence has shown repeatedly, when it comes to job one, the Phillies and Goodwill put their rivalry aside when it comes time to fight fires.

So where are we?

What wasn't truly broken, won't be fixed, but what has been accomplished, other than deepening the divide between the two?

Not much.

As I discovered while researching the matter for our coverage, the most important aspect of any successful fire company consolidation is obtaining "buy-in" from those involved as possible. That didn't happen, and, let's face it, might have been impossible to obtain.

Further, the steps outlined in the 2009 fire study Chief Richard Lengel paid for out of his own pocket,

which would have encouraged buy-in and mandated actual financial studies with actual numbers, were not followed.

(Note to Steve Toroney, if you're going to trot out a fire study as the rationale for pushing consolidation, it might be a good idea to actually follow what the study says as it pertains to process.)

But all this aside, the basic issues remain:

• Is the current system sustainable into the next few decades? 
• As Braber noted, fire calls are up 12.5 percent in just the last three years; building and home materials are infinitely more flammable, making response times more crucial.
• Although recruiting of volunteers remains a struggle for many, the more worrisome aspect is how difficult it is to marshal enough of them to fight daytime fires.

And although he may have been overly callous when he suggested that making the fire truck drivers borough employees would allow the borough to fire them, Councilman Dan Weand was right about one thing last night.

When your house is one fire, you don't care too much who puts it out.

This raises the question of priorities which, as always, depends on whose priorities you're talking about.

So North End President Bill Moser made North End's three primary goals clear: Improve safety; preserve drivers' jobs; maintain history and tradition of fire company.

All fine goals.

But as Saylor put it in trying to convince council to take a more forceful role, "you're the leaders of the town."

And the firefighters (and perhaps a few members of council) must realize that council's responsibility

is not necessarily exactly aligned with the fire companies.

Within whatever power they choose to exercise, council must answer three questions when it comes to making a change in Pottstown's fire protection:

1. Will this make it safer? And if so, present or pursue evidence that shows how;
2. Will this be cheaper, or at least more economical? And do actual studies with actual numbers to prove it will be -- not just theory.
3. Will this make it more or less sustainable? 

Some of those goals overlap, but preserving the history and tradition of the fire companies is a concern relevant to council's responsibilities only in as much as it keeps the fire companies active and willing to continue running into burning buildings.

To council's credit, they tried to let the fire companies work that part out among themselves, but 200 year-old rivalries are hard to bury and it would have taken a whole lot more leadership and effective planning than was shown to keep that hatchet buried.

Hopefully, this rivalry will not bury future, more deliberate attempts to preserve and improve fire fighting in town in a way that not only answers those vital questions, but addresses the concerns of those doing the actual firefighting.

In the meantime, here are the Tweets from last night's special meeting

Pasta, Sauce, Meatballs and Music

6th grader Julian Paskel, ready to play.

And this girl, was ready to eat.

Another year, another Jazz and Spaghetti Dinner at Goodwill Fire Company.

As always, organizers, headed up by Kevin Owens, President of the Pottstown School Music Association, did a bang-up job.

Food was cooked; tables were set up; chairs were placed; tablecloths; balloons (news this year); trash taken out; sauce ladled; music performed. It was, in other words, a smashing success.

The event raises money to pay for music education in Pottstown, including performances outside the area, spreading the word about Pottstown musicians.

Mike Vought, John Armato and Kevin Owens.

Of particular note this year, to this seasoned veteran anyway, was the quality of the younger bands.

The elementary jazz band was excellent. Unfortunately, they played first and, as the official ladler of sauce, I was unable to escape my duties and get a recording.

But trust me, they were good.

I know the high school jazz band gets a lot of ink from me. That's because my son plays with them and I am at most of their performances.

I was going to try to scale back, but they unveiled a new number yesterday and it is one of my all-time favorites -- "Birdland," which I was introduced to through the version by the jazz fusion band Weather Report. (Click here for a link to a live performance video with the great Wayne Shorter, Joe Zawinul and the always mighty Jaco Pastorius.)

So here it is the Pottstown High School Jazz band's version of the classic (I'm told they only practiced it twice, maybe three times.):

Jo Ann Bathurst and her mom,
Florence Schumacher, 103

And really stepping up their game was the middle school jazz band, which was remarked upon by many, not just myself. In fact, I would say to the high school jazz band, you had better watch your back, those middle school kids are gaining on you.

Also noteworthy was the presence of four generations of the Bathhurst/ Schumacher/ Francis genome.

Florence Schumacher, 103,  was there, as she was last year. She is the mother of Jo Ann Bathurst, who is the mother of School Board member Amy Francis, who was there with her husband Julian, who are the parents of Gabe and Chloe Francis, both of whom are jazz band members.

So, good-on-ya I say.

Anyhoo, a good time was had by all, and there were lots of willing hands to help with the clean-up, including School Board member Kim Stillwell and her retinue.

This video gives a quickie over-view of the fun, and is followed by the Tweets and photos I managed to sneak in between lading sauce and spooning meatballs.




And here are the Tweets:

Spaghetti, Meatballs and Jazz, all for $10

So you like spaghetti right?

You like live music right?

You like live music performed by talented students, all for one low price right?

Then you know what you're doing next Saturday.

You are heading down to the Goodwill fire station on High Street, slapping down a mere $10 and then enjoying an all-you-can-eat spaghetti dinner while you listen to Pottstown students jazz up the evening.

The meal offers homemade meatballs on that spaghetti; bread; beverage and dessert, as well as the satisfaction of knowing that your enjoyment helped to fund music education in Pottstown.

Can't beat that with a stick.

Here's a taste of how much fun you'll have (sorry, I have no video of the middle school jazz band. Hope to get some thins year):



Below is a performance of last year's high school jazz band at the spaghetti dinner where they debuted a new number.

If we're lucky, they'll do that this year too!

Fire Company Merger Defended

Photo by Evan Brandt

It was another packed house at last night's Pottstown Borough Council meeting.

The bulk of Wednesday night's borough council meeting was again devoted to the proposed merger of Pottstown's four companies which one of those companies, the Phillies, are contesting.

Perhaps the most significant new piece of information to come out of the meeting is that John Muir, the attorney aiding the consolidation committee, confirmed what The Mercury reported two weeks ago, that they will not be ready to begin operations on April 1.

Photo by Evan Brandt
James Thees, left, was sworn in as the borough's newest
fire policeman after Wednesday's meeting,
with Jim Smale and Ginny Takach presiding.

Another interesting tidbit was the question raised by Doug Breidenbach, the attorney hired by the Phillies, who wanted to know why North End Fire Company is expected to surrender its Prospect Street real estate to the new merged company, but Goodwill is not.

No answer was provided.

Other items of interest are a proposal to change the proposed rental ordinance amendment to do rental inspections every two years instead of every year.

Also, Montgomery County wanted to know if a new Keim Street Bridge is built, does the borough want to take over the old one to be used as a pedestrian bridge.

After some laughter and a few jokes, the short answer was "no."

To read about all this and more, as it happened, read the Tweets below. Remember to click the blue bar at the bottom to make sure you see it all.

A Pottstown Panopoly (In Video)

Photo Courtesy of John Armato

Students and staff from Pottstown High School who were among the 700 who helped clean the streets of the First Ward on Friday. For more on that effort, see below.

So it's been a busy week in Pottstown, both news-wise and event-wise.

The news I will leave to the newspaper, but the events, well, I was at a lot of them with my handy iPhone and much-less-handy Tout video app, to record a lot of it.

Seeing as Sunday is a day for reflection, I thought we might review the past couple days and see what it says out our culture.

(Warning: This post has a kind of "What I Did on My Summer Vacation" feel to it....)

• First, we have our own familiar, shared local culture -- the Halloween parade;
• Then, there is International culture: The Diversity Committee's Heritage Day at Pottstown High School
• And finally, an attempt to foster a new culture of cooperation and responsibility -- with a clean-up in the first ward.

First off was Wednesday's Halloween Parade where Pottstown showed off its best -- people willing to work for nothing to put on a show -- and its worst; people who do nothing to put on the show, then bitch about everything to do with the show and the behavior of the people around them who, also, have done nothing but ruin the show for the better behaved.

Case in point: Last year when we were going to lose the parade, help poured in from all avenues. Everybody wants to be a hero.

This year, the parade saved, no one wants to shell out any of the money they gladly gave last year, thus ensuring the parade will soon be in crisis once again.

Not one single dollar bill walked in the front door of The Mercury this year, even though we offered the same opportunity to support an event people say they want, and event that had the door to the paper wearing out with so many people coming in to make a contribution.

I can see how it would make it harder and harder for organizers to motivate themselves to bother.

But enough lecturing, here are Kevin Hoffman's excellent photos (the link at the top) and some much-less-excellent reporter videos of the parade; all through the miracle of Storify...

Next came Heritage Day, which I squeezed in between parent-teacher meetings and an evening election interview with incumbent council Republican Jeff Chomnuk.



As impressive as the overall effort was, I was particularly impressed with the musical acumen of several students who teamed up with Louis Rieger, CEO over at the High Street Music Co. to form the High Street Jazz Ensemble.

Check them out in the next two videos.



On Friday, the borough, the school district and The Hill School joined forces for the second time in as many weeks, this time to undertake a clean up of streets in the first ward.

They put more than 700 people into the field.

That's impressive no matter how you count it.

Here are some videos from that undertaking:






And finally, a little shameless self-promotion.

The tables for the pancake breakfast
were set up Friday night.

As a band-parent, (something I never realized was a thing until I became one) my wife and I have been volunteered into helping in the organization's many, many fund-raising efforts which fund not only instruments for those who can't afford them, but for things like trips to play in Disney World.

It takes a lot of mix to make an
all-you-can-eat pancake breakfast.

(BTW, if you would like to buy some $4 Wawa Hoagie coupons from me, just drop by The Mercury at 24 N. Hanover St. when I'm there and I would be happy to accommodate you.)

Anyway, one of the most visible ways of raising money is the snack bar the Pottstown School Music Association (or PSMA) runs during home football games.

Some of you may have seen the Tweets and Touts I sometimes send out while trying to find ways to avoid actually working in that kitchen.

But few probably realize what comes next, after they go home.

Allow me to enlighten you:


And this, much smaller clean-up, was followed by those self-same volunteers then dragging their ass over to the Goodwill Fire Company, where they set-up tables and chairs to prepare for the Saturday morning All-You-Can-Eat Pancake Breakfast, another fundraiser.



Plenty of folks showed up and a good time was had by all.

We managed a line for pancakes after a time.

But I'm betting I'm not alone, as I write this, in really, really, really wanting a nap right now....

However, before I get up to take the teen and his buddies over to the last night of the Temple of Terror, I think for a moment how much this really shows the culture of Pottstown, or at least the part of the culture we want to keep.

High School Principal
Jeffrey Hartmann was among
the customers

This borough has long benefited from an invisible army of volunteers in organizations all over the place, some better known than others, who quietly and thanklessly do for others.

I will not make the mistake of trying to give you examples or all these people and organizations, as it is inevitable I will leave someone out, and generate hurt feelings when I mean to offer praise.

Sadly, as with the Halloween Parade, those who can't keep themselves (or their children) under control, those who do more taking than giving, can all too often grab the spotlight (or the headline!) and give an impression of a place that is tilted toward the negative.

I pray I never lose sight entirely of the fact that we are so much more than that.

All You Can Eat Pancakes is Music to Their Ears

So do you like pancakes?

I mean really, REALLY like pancakes.

Then you need to get yourself, family, friends and neighbors down to the Goodwill Fire Company on Saturday morning when an ALL-YOU-CAN-EAT Pancake Breakfast will be held from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m.

The breakfast includes all you can eat pancakes, plus bacon, sausage, coffee, tea, water and OJ.

Tickets are $7 in advance and tomorrow is the last day to buy advance tickets.

Children 3 and younger can enter free and those 4 to 10 years old cost $5 for advance tickets. And, every 10 tickets bought in advance earns one free adult ticket.

Make checks payable to PSMA and get them to a Pottstown band or choir teacher by today to ensure you seat and discount.

(Sorry about the short notice. The folks at the Pottstown Schools Music Association got this info to me in plenty of time, but I didn't want to post it too soon, lest you forget, and then a whole bunch of last minute stuff showed up....anyhoo)

The breakfast benefits the Pottstown Schools Music Association, funding their activities and raising money for equipment and trips.

You may remember them as the folks who brought you the very popular Jazz Spaghetti Dinner last April, also at the Goodwill Firehouse.

Remember how good that was? Here's a video to remind you.

Well the pancake breakfast will be just as good -- except there's no music. But hey, we mentioned bacon right?

Tickets on Saturday are $8 at the door; $6 for those 4 to 10. But kids under 3 still eat for free.

In case you don't already know, Goodwill Fire Company is located at 714 E. High St.

For more information and tickets, contact Debi Schiery @610-505-3077 or debi328@msn.com

Dinner AND a Show for $8? Wow!

One of my duties as a father/ blogger is the shameless promotion of activities with which my son is involved and this is one of those times.

The Pottstown Schools Music Association is holding its first Jazz and; Spaghetti Dinner on Saturday, April 20, from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Goodwill Fire Station on High St.

Proceeds from this event will benefit ALL district music students.

Posted here is a copy of the ticket order form that was also sent home with most students.

If you don't have a student in Pottstown schools but would love to come, you can print out this page or, better yet, click on this link and you can print out a clean copy of the form to turn in to a music teacher in any Pottstown school.

Tickets are $8 for adult, $5 for ages 6-10, and 5 and under are free.

Please return your order form by Friday, April 5, which will help the volunteers prepare in advance.

The dinner includes: spaghetti, meatballs, bread and butter, coffee, tea, iced tea, lemonade and dessert.

I have not yet heard the high school jazz band perform this year, so I'm  looking forward to it. Plus, as some of you who may have seen me lumbering down the street can attest, I love pasta.

And, if you want a taste of what kind of entertainment you will enjoy, here is a video of the Pottstown Middle School Jazz Band performing "Smackwater Jack" at Arcola Middle School during a recent competition there.

They received a rating of "excellent" as I recall, as well as being named the best trombone section.

And, if that wasn't enough to whet your appetite, for both more jazz and a delicious spaghetti dinner (did we mention they've got meatballs?!?) here is another taste of the entertainment.

This is "I've Got Rhythm," again from the middle schoolers.




So come on down. Enjoy some dinner, see a show and help promote music education in Pottstown. It's a win/win/win!

Learning How a Community Works

The Junior Guardian Angels get a lesson in fire safety

Once a month, the Pottstown Area Junior Guardian Angels get a lesson in how a community, the Pottstown community in particular, gets things done.

The children were taught not to fear "the man in the suit."

"We are trying to educate area youth on how community works and to associate faces and personalities with support elements in the community," wrote Rob Matthews, Pottstown Guardian Angels founder.

On Tuesday, that lesson had to do with fire safety and a demonstration of firefighting equipment thanks to the Empire Hook & Ladder and Goodwill fire companies, according to information submitted by Matthews.

In January, the Junior Angels had visited Pottstown Borough Council, met the council members and received a proclamation from Mayor Bonnie Heath. 

In March, as I wrote about in this post, they toured the Pottstown Police Department to develop a  better understanding of the roles and responsibilities of police officers.

Empire firefighter and Borough Councilman Mark Gibson
demonstrates some firefighting equipment.

"Next we intend to associate a face and personality with local District Justice Ed Kropp," Matthews wrote. "We look forward to familiarize and understand the district justice's role within the community," Matthews wrote. 

That visit  will take place Saturday Aug. 18 at 11 a.m.

"As a result of these events, It is our intent to put down the street myth about snitching and put the spotlight on right, wrong and personal responsibility," Matthews said.

A Little Neighborhood Excitement and a Note of Thanks

POTTSTOWN -- A fire truck is backing down my street as I write this.

It's about 5:30 p.m. on a Saturday and representatives of Pottstown's fire companies are headed back to their respective stations having answered the call of a potential house fire.

Thankfully, it turns out it was actually a malfunctioning dryer, a fairly common occurrence that can, left unattended, nonetheless end badly.

But fires like that don't stand much chance here in Pottstown. With four companies, manned by a mix of paid drivers and volunteers, such fires are routinely  knocked down so fast, The Mercury's ever-enthusiastic photographers often arrive only to find there are no flames to photograph.

But we don't begrudge them their effectiveness.

Sure, photos of homes on fire are dramatic and, let's face it, they sell newspapers. But in the end, it's better that Goodwill, the Phillies, Empire and North End are so johnny-on-the-spot. Such speed saves lives, homes and one's sense of security.

It's a comforting thing to know how fast help can be had when trouble comes.

And as I ambled down my street, camera in hand, to take the photos you see here, I realized I know many of the people gathered there in bulky jackets, awkward helmets and equipment that looks part medieval, part Star Trek

There's Zack Moore, a quiet young man whose family shares my alley and who likes country music and working on his two vehicles.

But luckily for my neighborhood, he also likes running with one of the fire companies so he was among the first to arrive, gear on hand, ready to do what he could.

He started with the youth corps and, if we're lucky, he'll stick with it, devoting hours and hours to training for which he will never get paid. All to have the privilege of running into a burning building.

Then I saw Goodwill's Terry Bechtel, a friendly fellow who took a moment to say hello and shake my hand having determined there was not much risk to the house. Nearby, my chagrined neighbor was saying "I told them not to being all their equipment..."

But that's what they've been trained to do, and that's why they are so effective and why, in case you didn't know it, your fire insurance costs less than in other places -- because of the response time of the Pottstown Fire Department.

And it occurred to me how much we owe these people.

Here they are, out on a dark night, (while a Penn State football game was being played no less) ready to do what's necessary at a moment's notice.

So thank you.

Luckily, this time, it was a minor incident, the kind that I know will not make the pages of my paper, where space is precious and we must daily make the cold calculation of what is important enough to warrant using some of it.

But because it wasn't important enough to be news does not mean its not important.

And sometimes, I think, you need to have a fire truck tear down your street the wrong way to remind you how much you are indebted to such volunteers, even if you'll never read about what they were doing there in the local paper.