In 1809, Judge James Ross of the Allegheny County Courts signed an order creating Ross Township near the southern end of Pine Township. At the time of creation, Ross Township had 30 residents living in the area, with Allegheny Borough and Shaler Township formed near the borders of Ross.
It was early in 1942 when a group of 18 Ross neighbors met to discuss the need for fire protection for the Second Ward of Ross Township. They met at the home of E. John T. Ross on Thompson Run Road for the first of many meetings. Around this time the nation had just entered World War II. On February 22, 1942 in the Court of Common Pleas an application was filed for Articles of Incorporation to the Non-Profit Corporation by the name and title of “Berkeley Hills Fire Company.” The articles were authorized by Judge Harry Rowand on the motion of John E. and Floyd V. Winner, Attorneys for the Berkeley Hills Fire Company. On October 1, 1942 the Articles of Incorporation were completed with 9 members listed as the corporate officers to begin that October of 1942. Along with those individuals, the names of 107 other residents were listed as charter members.
The country was at war and it was very difficult for the newly formed fire company to function. The fire company members’ first goal was to obtain a site for a firehouse. On February 1, 1943 a site was purchased from Otto Ammer for $700. The purchase price was raised by the membership by means of their first successful fund drive. The site was chosen about the geographical center of the fire district and is the site of the present day Berkeley Hills Fire Company station. With the site purchase accomplished, the membership set out to locate and purchase a vehicle, and at the same time plan the construction of a suitable building on their land. With World War II raging, most items were in short supply, especially money. On August 7, 1944 the members successfully located a Chevrolet 1 ½ ton truck chassis for sale. It was purchased and the fire company contracted with Howe Fire Apparatus Company to have mounted on this chassis a specially built fire truck body. Various fire fighting tools were donated by the Civil Defense Office to the fire company. The truck, when completed, included a 500 gallon per minute pump, a 250 gallon water tank, hose, and other firefighting equipment. The truck was delivered on February 5, 1945 and was fully paid for on July 22, 1948. This small fire truck was seriously overloaded and had great difficulty negotiating the hills in the Berkeley Hills vicinity. But that was acceptable for the time being as the members, now volunteer firemen, used it to train.
Construction of a building on the land purchased February 1943 began in September 1944. The organization and training of firemen for the Berkeley Hills Fire Company had taken over four years. The original address of the fire hall was R.D. 4 Pittsburgh 9, Pa. The first Fire Chief was William C. Norris who was elected on March 5, 1945. On July 19, 1945 the members of the Berkeley Hills Fire Company attended their graduation exercises from the 18 week fundamentals of firefighting course. This course was conducted under the supervision of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Department of Public Instruction, State Board for Vocational Education, The Public Service Institute of Pennsylvania. On the previous night, July 18, 1945 lightning struck the Zimmerman residence on Baker Drive. This frame house on top of a hill began to burn. The Berkeley Hills Fire Company responded and saved the home. The “first” of thousands of calls for help was successfully answered that night. This occurred even before the official fire school graduation ceremony and before the official approval of the fire company by the Board of Fire Underwriters which was given on September 1, 1945.
On October 2, 1945 the Women’s Auxiliary of the Berkeley Hills Fire Company was formed. This auxiliary supported the efforts of the men for almost 30 years. In May 1974 the company changed its By-Laws allowing women to be firefighters. In the summer of 1975 the first woman firefighter, Linda Keeler Kelly, was admitted to the fire company.
On August 3, 1948 the fire company purchased an additional 50 feet of land adjoining the southerly line of the original tract for $1,000. Compared to the original land cost this was expensive but the additional land was needed for the growth of the fire company.
In the same month, August 1948, a new American LaFrance 500 gallon per minute pumper was ordered to replace the original pumper. It was delivered in February 1949 and the original pumper was sold to Upper Burrell Township for $3,625. This new American LaFrance would be fully paid for on April 3, 1951 with funds raised from the annual car raffle which was started on July 4, 1948, and a monthly raffle of
$500 cash. On June 28th thru 30th, 1951 the first annual street fair was conducted by the fire company members. These fairs were an annual institution until the early 1960’s when they were ended for many reasons including the reduction of usable land to conduct the fair safely.
In September 1954 the fire company installed new two-way radios on their trucks. This action completed Ross Township’s conversion to one centralized communications system for the entire township. This same year the fire company sponsored its first annual Christmas tree burning. Residents placed their trees at curbside and fireman would pick them up. The burn date would be announced and all the area residents would come to see the fire and the short ceremony which followed.
The prior year, 1953 saw the opening of McKnight Shopping Center at McKnight Road and Peebles Road. This shopping center was the first of many and would change forever the landscape of the Berkeley Hills fire district. This shopping center was immediately followed by the North Hills Village Shopping Center in June 1956 and the McKnight Siebert Shopping Center in the fall of 1956.
In May 1955 the fire hall was renovated. An auditorium and truck bays were added to the existing building.
In December of 1958 the fire company took delivery of their first aerial ladder truck. The aerial truck had the ability to reach as high as 65 feet into the sky. During the same year the fire company reached an all time high number of emergency calls, totaling 65. In current history, that high mark is accomplished every two weeks or so.
In early 1961 the finance committee recommended that the annual fund drive be handled by a professional company for a number of reasons. The major reason was the inordinate number of hours needed to update the mailing list each year and to mail the request to each resident.
During 1962 the fire company through our Chief Haschke embarked on a crusade for a commercial building code which incorporated the most current fire suppression guidelines. This same year the fire company supported town ordinance #881. This ordinance restricted open burning. Open burning was a major cause of fires and, of course, air pollution. The approval of his ordinance ended the fire company’s annual Christmas tree burning ceremony, but the ordinance was for the greater good.
On January 5, 1963 the company signed a contract for a new American LaFrance 1,000 gallon per minute pumper. This state of the art pumper was delivered on April 7, 1964.
On March 15, 1964 the Fire Chiefs met to discuss adoption of the National Fire Code and proposed Chief Haschke as Fire Marshall of Ross Township.
The 113 year old Blitzer’s Country Store was lost on June 1, 1964. Evergreen, Keating, Millvale, and Berkeley Hills responded. Blitzer’s had once been the Post Office for all of Ross, Shaler, and part of McCandless, and had the only telephone in the area.
On July 21, 1965 Berkeley Hills area residents received a letter from the company concerning the
$16,100 annual budget. Residents were asked to contribute $5.00 per family to eliminate the necessity of a care raffle or street fair. The 1965 budget report called for $8,000 from dues and contributions, $1,200 from monthly raffles, $4,800 from auditorium rentals and $1,500 from Ross Township.
Late in 1965, and after the elections, Ross Township Commissioners resumed their three year long contest with the community’s fire companies over adoption of a fire code. “The game has been in extra innings for a long time,” stated the News Record editorial. “The main snag is that no fire code can be put into force without a fire marshal, and commissioners and fireman both want control over the office.” A compromise was offered in which each fire company would have a deputy fire marshal to take care of that area that would be supervised by the commissioners. Berkeley Hills Chief John C. Haschke said he would withhold any comments until he knew the outcome of an expected meeting with the commissioners.
Chief Haschke’s report for 1965 listed 94 calls including 1 barn fire and 2 cat-in-tree calls.
On December 5, 1967 our fire company celebrated 25 years of service to the community. A festive ceremony was held at the fire hall which included honored guests. The dinner dance was hosted by charter member and Past President Roy Meanor.
On December 6, 1967 the fire company placed back in service its aerial ladder truck with its refurbished 85 foot ladder. This was a full 20 feet higher than what was needed only nine short years earlier. Growth in the Berkeley Hills fire district mandated this improvement and the progressive company leadership followed through. This progressive leadership was also exemplified by the election of Chief John Haschke by the Allegheny County Commissioners to the County’s Fireman’s Advisory Board in June 1968.
During 1969 the company responded to a record of 148 fire calls. This amounted to over 1,556 hours to fight these fires. During this same year forty-two members attended training at either North Park County Fire Academy, South Park County Fire Academy, Lewistown State Fire Academy, Ross Township Fire School, or at the University of Maryland. The total number of hours of formal training this particular year has been lost in time. However, it would be fair to estimate these hours at more than 1,500.
In December 1971 the fire company began a campaign to obtain a new aerial ladder truck at a cost of
$85,000. The new ladder truck was a rear mount 100-foot LaFrance ladder with an automatic transmission and a 200 gallon per minute booster pump. The contract was signed November 14, 1971.
On April 9, 1973 Lieutenant Curt Kelly received a Certificate of Commendation from the Ross Township Bureau of Police. On March 24, 1973 Curt’s actions at the scene of a terrible auto accident were credited with saving the life of Mrs. Sylvia Bogacz. This recognition was the first of three Curt would receive over the years.
In November 1975 a mini-pumper was ordered costing $16,561 and was to be delivered the following March. This vehicle was equipped with 600 feet of 3″ hose, two 200 foot pre-connect attack lines, 300 gallon water tank, and a 400 gallon per minute pump. This gave the fire company three vehicles: a 1,000 gallon pumper, a 100 foot rear mount aerial, and the new mini-pumper.
April 19, 1977 was a sad and terrible day for the Berkeley Hills Fire Company. LeRoy G. (Lee) Ehrman was the first member of our company to die while carrying out duties. Lee collapsed and died of a heart attack while directing traffic on a fire call. Our duties as volunteers are very strenuous and they take their toll by shortening our lives.
In July 1978 plans were made to replace the 1964 pumper. The new American LaFrance engine was to cost $93,000 and was capable of pumping 1,500 gallons per minute. Plans were also made at the same time to remodel the fire hall. By January 1979 the remodeling was completed. The new bay, the board room, and the remodeled community hall cost about $50,000. The new pumper was delivered May 16, 1979 at a finished cost of $100,000.
In early 1981 a fire detection and alarm system was installed in the new station and refurbished community hall to protect the $330,000 building and the $316,000 worth of fire-fighting equipment housed there.
In 1982 the delivery of the new Pierce 1,000 gallon per minute pumper was accomplished. This new fire engine coincided with the building of the Mini-Kane Hospital on McIntyre Road by Allegheny County. The fire company had a great influence in the fire suppression aspects of the construction of this hospital. The fire company was consulted as to fire hydrant locations, fire equipment rooms, and other buildings safeguards in this “state of the art” hospital.
In March 1982 the fire company agreed to supply our aerial truck for mutual aid in Shaler Township. Mutual Aid agreements allow better fire protection without increased cost to the communities involved.
In May 1982 the Township’s radio system for dispatching fire companies was upgraded. This upgrading necessitated each company to change from low band frequency to high band frequency radios. While this was a costly move it moved communications into the modern era. High Band communications is clearer and much less crowded with users.
In November 1982 the company amended its bylaw to allow for the election of line fire officers. Prior to this time the Chief was elected and he appointed his Assistant Chiefs, Captain, and Lieutenants. The
By-Law change called for the membership to elect the following line officers: First Assistant Chief, Second Assistant Chief, Captain, First Lieutenant, Second Lieutenant, Third Lieutenant, and Fourth Lieutenant.
During 1983 the fire company started replacing its self-contained breathing apparatus. The new apparatus, which is used to fight structure fires from the interior, were the state of the art and were met with great enthusiasm from the members. Scientific studies by 1983 had clearly shown that breathing smoke, the result of incomplete combustion, was a major cause of heart attack and other disabling diseases for firefighters. These new state of the art breathing apparatus were made mandatory when fighting fires from within a structure or in close vicinity to smoke conditions
In December 1984, Allegheny County started discussions as to the need for a standard procedure to handle hazardous materials in emergencies. Our fire company supported this effort in spirit and financially. Not only have fire companies been educated about hazardous materials by this initiative, but local hazardous materials response teams have been established. These teams greatly reduce the harm these dangerous materials can do to individuals and the environment.
During June 1985 a surprise celebration was organized. The celebration was to honor Chief John Haschke for serving 30 years as Chief of the Berkeley Hills Fire Company. No other fire company could boast of having such a progressive long term leader as John Haschke.
A renovation project of the recreation room was begun in October 1985. This project improved the small room at the back of the building. This room is used by the members to lounge and associate in a
non-work atmosphere. The room was paneled, new carpet installed, and new furniture purchased. This renovation cost less than $2,000 and greatly increased the members’ morale.
Also during 1985 construction began on a new regional mall to be named Ross Park Mall. This mall, on the hillside east of McKnight Road just north or Siebert Road, would complete the transformation of the Berkeley Hills Fire Company’s fire protection area from farmland to a major commercial area. The mall opened for business August 16, 1986.
First Assistant Chief Curt Kelly was honored by the North Hills Jaycees in February 1986. Chief Kelly received the “Outstanding Young Fireperson’s Award” from the Jaycees. The fire company was very proud of Curt’s accomplishments.
During 1986 our fire hall’s fire alarm system, both smoke and heat, was directly linked to the Ross Township communication system. This system was then used in numerous businesses and homes in Ross. Our fire company in 1992 advocated that the North Hills School District link all its buildings with this direct alarm system. A system like this does not require someone to manually call for help. It is done automatically, speeding help to the scene.
Bids were also received in July 1986 for a new aerial platform. To the great surprise of all of members the best bid was $424,000 made by Grumman Fire Equipment Co. After further negotiations the purchase of this 102’ aerial platform for $414,559 was authorized on October 7, 1986.
Chief John Haschke resigned as fire chief in 1986. This ended his brilliant leadership as Chief which had lasted 32 years. The Fire Company unanimously voted to give John Haschke the honorary title of “Chief Emeritus”. Assistant Chief Curt Kelly was appointed by the Board of Directors to complete the unexpired term of Chief Emeritus Haschke. On October 10, 1986 a special retirement dinner was held at our fire hall to honor John C. Haschke for his 38 years of unselfish service to the community and his 32 years as our Fire Chief.
The year 1987 was spent preparing for the aerial platform’s arrival. In order to house the new truck, on May 5, 1987 it was announced that the height of the garage door for the new truck’s bay was to be increased. The new truck was too high and could not pass through the existing door opening.
On May 7, 1987, the fire company authorized the apparatus committee to examine the possibility of purchasing a vehicle for use as a squad. The squad would be used to carry firefighters to fire scenes in a safe and protected manner. Because of the cost of such a vehicle, this proposal was tabled for the time.
In early 1988 it was discovered that due to design changes the new aerial platform truck was higher than planned. Grumman agreed to pay the cost the fire company incurred to lower the bay floor to accommodate the new height. In April 1988 the new aerial platform was placed in service. The old ladder truck was sold to Sharpsburg Fire Department for $100,000.
Berkeley Hills Fire Company ordered and placed into service during June 1988 the first 5″ hose in Ross Township. This new hose greatly increased our fire company’s ability to deliver huge volumes of water to the fire scene.
Plans were made during the summer of 1988 to purchase a new pumper to replace the mini-pumper. The apparatus committee was given a $185,000 target as to cost.
New to the community this year was the luxury Woodhawk Club Apartments. These apartments, built just off the eastern side of McKnight Road, just below and south of Kane Hospital and north of Ross Park Mall, added a great fire protection responsibility to our fire company.
During 1989 specifications for the new pumper were completed and bids were solicited. In October the Board of Directors determined that the purchase of a new pumper should be delayed. This determination was based on the fact that all bids received were for substantially more than the fire company expected and that the company had only started to pay the loans on the aerial platform. This same month the 1,000 gallon per minute pumper was sent out to American-LaFrance for major updating and repairs to its body. This work extended this engine’s useful life.
In May 1990 the proposal to order a new pumper to replace our mini-pumper was again presented and approved. Bids were to be solicited by the Apparatus Committee.
In early 1991 the squad idea tabled in 1987 was approved again. The apparatus committee found a suitable vehicle being sold by Ross/West View EMSA. The company authorized the committee to enter into negotiations. After negotiations the company took over the remaining payments on this vehicle which amounted to just under $11,000. In June of this year bids on a new pumper were received. They ranged from $240,000 to $272,000. The apparatus committee was instructed to engage into negotiations with bidders in an effort to reduce our cost by eliminating some of our requirements. In July the company approved the purchase from Grumman of a new pumper for $245,000. This pumper is capable of pumping 2,000 gallons of water per minute.
In June 1991 construction of the McIntyre Square Shopping Center on the site of the former McIntyre Children’s Shelter began. This site on the corner of McKnight Road and McIntyre Road is partly in McCandless Township, but added a large expanse of commercial property to our district.
During 1991 the radio room in the fire hall was moved from the center of the building to the north side of the building. This allowed additional space for parking the new squad and pumper.
In the fall of 1991 Chief Curt Kelly and the fire company approved, for the first time, the use of duty crews for the Christmas Season. Starting Thanksgiving Day and continuing until January 2, 1992 duty crews were assigned to the fire station to reduce response time during the Christmas traffic jams. The duty crew program was very successful, and laid the foundation for the current bunk in program.
Also in the summer of 1992 the new Grumman pumper was placed in service and the mini-pumper was sold for $50,000.
On August 30, 1992 the 50th Anniversary parade, organized by the 50th Anniversary Committee, and chaired by Ron Garlicki, marched down McKnight Road. Over fifty fire companies were represented an an estimated 13,000+ people viewed the parade. It started at the Ross Towne Center and proceeded south on McKnight Road in two of the three southbound lanes. It ended at North Hills Village Mall. State Representative David J. Mayernick hosted the hour and a half parade and presented a citation from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to the Berkeley Hills Fire Company. The Grand Marshall was Chief Emeritus John C. Haschke. The North Hills High School and North Catholic High School Bands participated in the parade and were greatly appreciated by the fire company and the spectators.
On October 4, 1992 at the annual open house the fire hall was re-dedicated to the community and to another 50 years of service. The ceremonies included the invocation by Reverend Charles Fowler of the McKnight Methodist Church and guest speaker was Pennsylvania State Senator Melissa Hart.
On November 14, 1992 a 50th anniversary dinner was held for all fire company members, their guests, and other special guests. Various citations were read during the banquet including a congratulations message from the President of the United States, George H.W. Bush.
The 50th year anniversary celebration was a huge success during 1992 due to the strong leadership and great energy of the 50th Anniversary Committee and its Chairperson, William Linkenheimer. Our fire company owes Bill a great deal for his fortitude and vision in making this celebration a success.
In the Mid 1990’s the company’s membership continued to grow and training stayed a top priority of the department. The Chief Curt Kelly started a program that would expand to other departments around the area. They began to have a Duty Officer that would respond to the scene directly in a designated command vehicle. The car would be rotated between the chief officers along with the other junior line officers. This gave the Captains and Lieutenants a chance to run the department and control fire scenes in a chief officer capacity. This program continues to be an important part of the department today.
During the 1990’s, under Chief Curt Kelly the Quick Response Service was started and again was a model for other agencies in the coming years. This was the first (and as a result the current
longest-standing) Quick Response Service in Allegheny County. Initially, the idea of the program was met with great resistance. However, one day the Ladder Truck was returning from a fire call when Ross/West View EMSA was dispatched for a child that was choking. Being in close proximity to where this call was, the crew of the Truck responded and helped to save the child’s life. Following this, the members realized the potential to positively impact the lives of the residents, and the program was official started. The QRS program gets trained EMS personnel to patients faster, sometimes several minutes before arrival of an ambulance. This program would be especially beneficial during the busy holiday shopping season to have providers on scene quickly. Initially the Squad was the only vehicle that was licensed to respond to calls, however in the coming years the entire fleet was licensed by the PA Department of Health.
In 1999 the station was once again expanded to accommodate the number of apparatus and updating the current building. The area that once used to be the rental hall was turned into a classroom area, day room and kitchen facility. A museum was created in between this portion of the station and the additional bays to showcase the company history and various other firefighting equipment from all over the world.
In 2001, the aging Suburban was replaced with a Ford Excursion to serve as the Quick Response Services/Squad vehicle. Shortly after this occurred, planning began to replace the aging 1978 American LaFrance Pumper. In 2003, a Ferrara Inferno Engine was placed into service in its place and the LaFrance was donated to Butler County Community College for training purposes.
On March 3rd, 2003 Berkeley Hills and surrounding companies were dispatched to a house fire with a child trapped on Kinsdale Drive. There was a delay in the Engine getting out the door due to no driver being around, and the Ross Fire Marshall stopped at the station to drive. Fortunately, the child was rescued and was not injured. This incident served as the catalyst to revisit the Bunk Room to better ensure a quick and adequate response. Later in 2003, the Riding Assignments were initiated into practice. Several members had been discussing these riding assignments, and on June 19th they were put to the test on a first due fire on McIntyre Road. The Truck responded with 4 personnel, and using the riding assignments were able to complete their duties in a fast and efficient manner. This lead to the department fully implementing riding assignments for both the Engine and Truck companies. These riding assignments are still used to this day, allowing all firefighters responding on the apparatus to know their role on the fireground without having to be told.
On September 17, 2004 Hurricane Ivan struck the country and caused widespread damage. During this event Fire Police Captain and BHFC life member John Brenckle was serving in a fire police capacity providing traffic control in the township. A few days after the disaster had struck; John was hospitalized with an unknown illness. Just a few days later on September 23, 2004, John passed away at UPMC Passavant Hospital. A full Line-of-Duty funeral was held in his honor and a few years later his name was placed on the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial in Emmitsburg, Maryland. This has only been the 2nd Line of Duty Death in the Fire Company’s history.
Later in September 2004, on the 29th, Berkeley Hills was dispatched to a building fire in Evergreen’s first due. The recently constructed bunkroom had four personnel staying in for the night, allowing the Engine to respond immediately. The crew was the first arriving apparatus, and an aggressive attack was initiated on the fire.
Over the course of the next several years the Fire Company has been awarded a number of grants to help offset the cost of equipment as the prices continue to increase. We have been awarded grants for new turnout gear, portable equipment for the ladder truck and other fire station equipment to name a few. We were also awarded a regional radio grant to update the radio system we were on to a much better Ultra High Frequency system. This grant included all Fire Companies in Ross Township and West View Borough, Ross/West View EMS, and both Ross and West View Police. In 2010 we were awarded a grant to replace our aging 1988 Ladder Truck with a new one. After months of hard work and planning by the committee, a new Pierce Ladder Truck was ordered and it was delivered in February 2012. After about a month of training, the new Ladder Truck was placed into service and the old one was sold.
On October 6, 2012 the membership of the Fire Company was shocked to learn of the passing of Chief Emeritus John Haschke at the age of 88. Chief Haschke had dedicated over 65 years to the organization, including 32 as Fire Chief. Even though he was not active running calls, Chief Haschke was always at the station keeping up on what was going on and assisting in whatever capacity he could. The membership held a small, informal ceremony at the Open House that week to remember Chief Haschke. No formal ceremony was held at the request of the family.
The year 2012 also brought the 70th Anniversary of the Fire Company. The department received recognition from the Ross Township Commissioners along with the State Senate for the dedication of the department over the 70 years of service. State Senator Randy Vulakovich came to the open house to make the presentation and speak the membership.
Over the course of 2013 and 2014 our call volume increased to over 1500 annual calls, and crews continued to dedicate countless hours to training and serving our community. In August of 2014,
station crews were a part of the most notable Cardiac Arrest save in our department’s history. While on station, past Chief and life member Curt Kelly collapsed and was in cardiac arrest. The crews on station began to care for him until EMS arrived, initiating CPR and using an on-station AED, and he was talking when the ambulance left the station. Just over a week later he was released from the hospital to begin his rehab. Members involved in the resuscitation were award the Meritorious Service Award for the incident and Allegheny Health Network recognized our department at a Pirates Game for the “Great Save”.
In 2014, the department decided to reduce its fleet from two Engines to one Engine. The plan was to sell the 2003 Ferrara due to it being worth more, and use the 1992 Grumman until a new Engine could be purchased. The Ferrara was sold to the Southeast Bullitt Fire Company in Kentucky.
In 2015, the Apparatus Committee was busy working to replace the Command Vehicle and spec a new Engine. A 2015 GMC Sierra Pick-up was placed in service as the new Command Vehicle in late 2015. In September members of the Apparatus Committee traveled to Pierce Manufacturing to complete the
pre-build on our new Pierce Enforcer Custom Pumper. The Engine was delivered in Spring 2016 and was placed in service a few weeks after arrival. The Grumman Engine was sold to a salvage company, who in turn sold it to Lernerville Speedway in Sarver, PA. Lernerville raced the Grumman FireCat around the track for several years. In 2023 the Grumman met her final resting place and was torn apart for scrap.
In 2017, members began to plan for our 75th Anniversary celebration. A banquet was held at the Cherry City Fire Hall, with many current and former members in attendance. Also in attendance were many Ross Township commissioners, State Senators and Representatives, and PA Fire Commissioner Tim Solobay. Various citations were presented and read, congratulating the department on 75 years of service to the community. The night was a huge success, thanks to the hard work and efforts of the 75th Banquet Committee, lead by Fire Chief Wes Semple.
2018 brought many big improvements to the department. The President appointed a Renovations Committee to head a complete overhaul to the bunk room. The committee worked throughout most of the year to oversee the work, which produced 6 “Private” rooms, 2 “Semi-Private” rooms, 1 “Common Room”, 3 individual bathrooms (each with a shower, toilet, and sink), a lounge, and storage areas for members belongings. This brought the Company up to date to compete with other area Live In programs, and expanded the maximum bed capacity from 14 to 26. This also kicked off a formal “Live In Program” for the department.
In Spring 2018, plans to replace the aging Squad began. It was determined by the Line Officers that the best option would be to replace the Squad and Command Vehicle with identical SUVs, that were able to be rotated between roles on a regular basis. This would make it easier to continue QRS operations while the Squad was out of service, and spread out the workload and mileage between the two. In June 2018 the first Tahoe SSV was delivered, and in December 2018 the second Tahoe SSV was delivered. Ibis Tek in Butler, PA provided upfitting for both vehicles. Both the 2010 Expedition and 2015 GMC were sold to Kirwan Heights Fire Department.
In 2021 Curt Kelly passed away. The department was Curts life, spending time as almost every officer eventually moving to Alaska for a short time. Curt then came back to be a live in around the 2011-2012 time frame. The department sent Curt off with honors, Bringing him back from Schellhaas funeral home in West View his family held his ern on the “Layout” seat with one of his best friends Dalton Minerd driving. Both Curt and Dalton were part of the daylight crew staffing the firehouse almost every single weekday. Curts wake was hosted in the bays surrounded by his family and the brothers and sisters from 247 current and former members. The service ended by playing the Memorial video that members made for him which can be found on youtube.
Today the company has over 30 active firefighters and fire police officers that serve the Berkeley Hills Fire District and surrounding communities. We provide mutual aid service to other Ross Township Fire Companies and numerous other municipalities We operate an Engine Company, a Ladder Tower, and two SUVs that function as our QRS Squad and Command Vehicle.