PurposeAs the story is told, in 1949, a series of barn fires in and around the immediate area prompted a few men to “pass the hat” around to local people and collect money to buy a fire truck for the establishment of a group of individuals who could defend our community whenever an emergency should arise. It quickly became obvious that the idea of chartering a volunteer fire service in Mahoning Valley was a good one, and after a lot of hard work, both mentally and physically, our department was born June 4, 1951. It has evolved into a fully functional, self-sufficient, highly trained, professional organization equivalent to the best in the business. We owe it to our charter members, the people in our community, and those communities around us to continue the pride and traditions set forth, and maintain our service as top notch. Our forefathers have shown us what it takes to be a quality organization capable of operating with good equipment and current tactics in a rapidly evolving world of dangers the emergency services face on a daily basis. It is our desire to maintain this organizations proud stance in our community by cherishing our history, remembering our past, and continuing to be progressive thru the future. This will be accomplished by continued hard work, dedication, continual training, and collection of funds thereby ensuring the safety and security of our township residents and those who may visit or pass thru this beautiful community.

MottoWhile approaching and planning our fifty years of operation, the members discussed what exactly it was that we wanted to portray our organization as thru a slogan or motto. With much consideration of all that had happened before us, all that was happening at that time, and all that we plan on doing for our future, the simple statement of “Pride in Commitment…Pride in Community” was formed. We are a group of individuals who are proud to volunteer our time for the betterment of our community as a whole, and who do so by demonstrating service excellence in all hazard emergency response and mitigation.

Mission StatementMost of this statement as found in the original article of incorporation filed June 4, 1951.To establish, maintain, and keep a fire department, to protect the lives and property of the residents of Mahoning Township, Carbon County, Pennsylvania, and its vicinity from injury, death, damage and destruction by fire, and for the general improvement of the fire service, to discuss, practice and perform the best methods of fighting fires and their prevention, to encourage fraternal friendship among firemen, to generally do anything and everything necessary expedient or incidental to the fire department in all its phases, to support any who may be injured, killed, or may be prevented from attending to their occupation because of sickness or injury caused by exposure or accidents while performing fire duty and generally to take pride in volunteering without monetary gain or profit while working to promote overall community welfare, life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.