17th), our normal drill night.

Members spent a couple of hours in full gear, on air and with their face pieces blacked out, practicing large area searches like you might have to do in a warehouse fire. Then about a half-hour after everyone went home for the night, the company was dispatched to the massive SPS fire in Abington. Engine 702, Engine 703 and Utility 700, carrying 15 of our members, responded to the first alarm of a fire that quickly escalated to four-alarms. Some members rotated in and out, but all told the crews were out there for 18 hours, until 4 p.m. Tuesday. The two engines were part of a relay that supplied water to several ladder trucks and a giant mounted monitor (a deluge gun) that belongs to the Marcus Hook oil refinery.

Engine 703 spent 16-1/2 hours pumping an average of 1,800-gallons-a-minute, or 1.782 million gallons of water. When the company was finally released, more members were called to the scene and picked up all of the 5-inch hose that had been laid. They then spent another two hours back at the station, repacking back-up hose onto the trucks and getting them ready to respond to the next call.

We weren't done yet. This past Sunday morning, about 10 members spent an hour in a functional fitness class and then got busy, with additional members, cleaning all of the supply line that had been used at the scene. That was followed by tonight's drill, repacking all of the front-line hose back onto the trucks.

All of that was a prelude to this: We can always use more help. If you have any interest in joining the fire company, we would love to have you. Just drop by the fire house, 1500 Bruce Road, between 10 am-noon on Sundays or from 7-9 pm Monday evenings. Someone will be happy to talk to you about joining our team.