Last night during drill, crews reviewed brush-fire gear, tools, and basic wildland-fire safety practices to help ensure our members stay prepared as brush-fire season continues. Training focused on equipment familiarization, line safety, situational awareness, and operating safely in rapidly changing conditions.
Crews also had the opportunity to review a new pump and water skid system that will soon be installed on SS24-1 (UTV) to replace our current setup. The new system will improve our brush fire response capabilities and enable faster, more effective operations in areas that are difficult for larger apparatus to access.
Training and preparation like this help keep our crews ready to serve the community when the call comes.
Last night, crews from Plumsteadville Volunteer Fire Company trained alongside members of Chalfont Fire Company during a live structural burn at the Montgomery County Public Safety Training Center. Firefighters practiced search and rescue, hose line advancement, and nozzle control in real fire conditions designed to simulate the challenges faced on actual emergencies.
Live burn training provides firefighters with valuable experience working in real heat, smoke, and rapidly changing conditions while building confidence, teamwork, and decision-making skills. Trainings like these are a critical part of staying prepared and ensuring your volunteer firefighters are ready when the call comes.
A big thank you to Chalfont Fire Company and the instructors at the training center for the opportunity to train together and continue sharpening our skills. Live burn training provides firefighters with valuable experience working in real heat, smoke, and rapidly changing conditions while building confidence, teamwork, and decision-making skills. Trainings like these are critical to staying prepared and ensuring your volunteer firefighters are ready when the call comes.
Last night, PVFC members spent time on-site at the Clover Hill Crossing development during drill night to review construction and layout as it progresses.
Members toured buildings under construction to get familiar with layouts, construction features, and key considerations for pre-planning. From there, crews evaluated apparatus entry and exit points, roadway conditions, and overall neighborhood flow.
Taking the time to understand both the structures and the community early helps us respond more effectively once homes are occupied.
It’s all part of training, getting familiar with the areas we serve before the call ever comes in.
Not all volunteer roles are front-facing and that’s exactly why they matter.
National Volunteer Week is a great reminder that it takes more than what you see on a call to keep a fire company running. While many of our members serve in multiple roles, today we want to recognize the volunteers working behind the scenes handling finances, administration, fundraising, logistics, and everything in between.
These are the people keeping things organized, supported, and moving forward every day. Their work may not always be visible, but it is absolutely essential to everything we do.
We’re grateful for each of you and the impact you make on our department and our community.
Know someone who supports our department behind the scenes? Give them a shout below!
What does it take to move thousands of gallons of water, fast, and without a hydrant?
Last night, crews trained at the reservoir on rural water supply and drafting operations, working with new driver/operators and pushing our pump capabilities. Using dual 6-inch hard sleeves, we maximized intake and evolved our setup to supply three master streams and two hand lines.
Engine 24 drafted from the reservoir with dual intakes, moving up to ~2,000 GPM to Tanker 24, while flowing its deck gun and a hand line. Tanker 24 then supplied Engine 20, which operated a deck gun and ground monitor, keeping high-volume water moving across the scene.
Training like this ensures we’re ready when water supply is limited and demand is high.