The volunteers of the Downingtown Fire Dept. Recruiting and Retention Committee worked our Recruiting Tent for seven hours today at the 10th Annual Downingtown Fall Festival. The annual festival is hosted by the Downingtown-Thorndale Chamber of Commerce.
The Chamber estimated that it had the largest crowd ever, with over 5,000 visitors. It was a great day and we enjoyed speaking with all of those who stopped-by our tent.
Events like this are important for our department community involvement, with our DFD Recruiting theme of “Neighbors Helping Neighbors”. We were able to educate some of our visitors that had no idea that the fire and rescue services of the DFD, as well as many of our mutual aid partners are 100% volunteer and thought that we only fought fires! In addition to fighting fires, our volunteers also are involved with doing Technical Rescues such as Water Rescue, Confined Space, Trench Rescue, Ropes and Riggings, Building Collapse, Vehicle Rescues, Search and Rescue of lost people, EMS, Fire Police, Fire Prevention Education, Community Outreach, Training, Fundraising and Maintaining our Buildings and Property (we own our buildings).
We would like to thank Help Fight Fire for supplying some of our handouts for the day. And, encourage you to visit www.helpfightfire.com for information about volunteering throughout Chester County.
We would also like to thank the following DFD volunteers who spent their Sunday with us, working the tent: Bert Adcox, Sam Aikin, Amy Bingaman, Joe Marks, Mike McCarraher, Mike Simmons, Bob Siter, Tyler Smith, Jeff Stevens and Brett Wesson.
