Who are we? Well, we're basically just regular people, working for a living. We are husbands, fathers, homeowners, taxpayers, and voters. We have bills to pay and projects to finish. We cut our own grass, and many times work on our own houses or cars. We love to spend time with our families, go on vacations, play and have fun, and be involved in our communities. We're just your regular, blue collar type, working class Americans. The only difference between us and many others is instead of going to work in an office or factory; we go to work at the firehouse.
We are the full time, career professional firefighters of the City of Uniontown Bureau of Fire. We provide a vast array of services to our public, which includes not only firefighting, but also rescue work, emergency medical services, inspections, code enforcement, and public fire education and fire prevention programs, just to name a few. We are one of only a few fire departments within our portion of the state who provide full service building inspections and code enforcement, per the PA Uniform Construction Code and the International Code Council. Who better to enforce codes concerning the safety and well being of others than the fire department? We are also one of only a few departments in this end of the state to have a PA Department of Health certified Advanced Life Support Fire Engine, staffed with a Paramedic. Our fire prevention programs reach thousands of people yearly, ranging from school age children to the elderly. We are involved in fire evacuation and emergency planning as well. We are also one of only a few departments to offer a Juvenile Fire Setter Intervention Program.
Our staff also provides fire fighting and emergency services to our public. We work together and work well with our department's volunteer members to provide fire and rescue services which are among the best in the area. Our staff holds many certifications including personnel with Professional Qualifications Board certifications as firefighter, instructor, rescue technician, and driver/operator to name a few. All staff hold medical certification as well, with many certified at the E.M.T. level and two certified as Paramedics. We have two PA State Fire Academy accredited and certified local level training instructors on our paid staff as well.
But, the service does not come without a cost, unfortunately. If you look at the cost of our service to our taxpayers, however, you will find it is minimal in comparison to the services they receive. Unfortunately, also, there are people in the public who feel our service isn�t necessary, or feel it is a waste of taxpayer money. How wrong are they? Without our full time staff, we would not be able to provide the services our department currently provides. We also would not be able to guarantee that a fire unit would arrive at your emergency within 3 minutes or less, like we are able to do now. And while we have volunteer members, who we both appreciate and rely on, their numbers are dwindling. Volunteer membership in fire departments across the state is declining very rapidly, and our department is no exception! Please feel free to explore our website further and learn more about our full time firefighters, and find out what it would cost everyone if we did not have them. Thanks for stopping by!
About our department:
The Bureau of Fire in Uniontown is a combination paid/volunteer fire department. Career (paid) firemen are employed by the city of Uniontown, and belong to the International Association of Firefighters (I.A.F.F.) local L-0955. Volunteer membership, including both active and honor roll/life membership, belongs to one of 3 companies within the Bureau: The Union Hose Company, The Chief Williams Hook & Ladder Company, and the keystone Fire Company. The fire department also administers and operates a 24 hour staffed advanced life support ambulance corps. The ambulance employees are employed by the corps and not the city. Also, much like other combination or volunteer departments, our Bureau has a fireman's relief association, and a fund raising committee (know in our department as the Uniontown Firemen's Booster Club).
The I.A.F.F. Local 955 would like to thank our Bureau's volunteer members and ambulance corps employees, the I.A.F.F., the PA Professional Firefighters Association, our fellow I.A.F.F. Locals, our local neighboring fire companies, our taxpayers, and most of all, our families for all your support! Also, thanks to anyone else not mentioned.
Our union local holds membership in the PA Professional Firefighters Association, the Fayette County Firemens Association, and the Southwestern PA Fire Chiefs & Asst. Chiefs Association.