East Herkimer Fire Dept.

The famous East Herkimer Fire Department Annual Winter Chicken BBQ will be held on Sunday, February 28th from 12:30-3:00pm. Tickets are available for a $11.00 donation.

Please contact your local firefighter for tickets

This will be a drive-thru event. Thank you again for your continued support and we look forward to seeing you there!

Rarely do you find an active volunteer firefighter that has been in the department for over sixty years. The East Herkimer Volunteer Fire Department has two Walter Richard and Angelo Castilla.

 When these two men joined the Dept. Dwight Eisenhower was president of the United States, the cost of a new home averaged $12,400, 75% of homes were heated with wood or coal. A brand new car average price was $2,200 and seat belts were first beginning to appear in volvos, Alaska and Hawaii became the 49^th and 50^th states annexed into the United States of America.

Walt became a member on July 28^th 1959 and Angelo on December 29^th 1959. Both have been and still remain outstanding role models in our community. Good husbands, fathers, and neighbors. There is no way of telling how many hours that they have donated of their time to give to helping others, monthly meetings, fire schools, fund raisers, B.B.Q.s, bingo, field days, fire calls, auto accidents, false alarms , and the list goes on.

Not only active firefighters, but both have served as our chief. Angelo in 1982-1986 and Walter served three different times 1971-1975, 1978-1982, and 1992-1996. The word dedication just doesn’t do them justice for all that they have given to their community for so, so many years. Along with too many hours to count we could only speculate as to how many other volunteers that they have seen come and go. East Herkimer and the surrounding areas have been richly blessed by having these two be part of our community. They would simply say it’s the right thing to do, so lets get it done. Never ones to say let someone else do it. Having lived through WW2’s paper drives, rubber, and metal scrapping they have learned from an early age what it means to sacrifice. If you get a chance to see one of these gentlemen, and they truly are gentlemen, make sure they get a thank you. Angelo and Walter thank you for what you have been, for what you are, and continue to be. May god continue to bless you as you have blessed us.

The famous East Herkimer Fire Department Annual Winter Chicken BBQ will be held on Sunday, February 24th from 12:00-3:30pm. Tickets are available for a $11.00 donation.

Please contact your local firefighter for tickets

Thank you again for your continued support and we look forward to seeing you there!

More fires happen in the winter months than any other time of the year. During the cold months, we spend more time indoors and use different methods to heat our homes.  It is important to keep fire safety in mind when you are heating your home.

 If you are using a portable heater:

• Make sure the heater has an automatic shut-off so if it tips over, it shuts off.
• Keep anything that can burn such bedding, clothing and curtains at least 3 feet from the heater.
• Plug portable heaters directly into wall outlets. Never use an extension cord or power strip.
• Turn heaters off when you go to bed or leave the room.

 If you are using a fireplace:

• Keep a glass or metal screen in front of the fireplace to prevent embers or sparks from jumping out and starting a fire.
• Do not burn paper in your fireplace.
• Before you go to sleep or leave your home put the fire out completely.
• Put ashes in a metal container with a lid. Store the container outside at least 3 feet from your home.

 If you are using a wood stove:

• Have your chimney inspected and cleaned each year by a professional.
• Keep anything that can burn at least 3 feet from the stove.
• Do not burn paper in your wood stove.
• Before you go to sleep or leave your home, put the fire out completely.

When heating your home, you need to be aware of carbon monoxide. Carbon monoxide, also known as CO, is called the “invisible killer” because it’s a colorless, odorless, and poisonous gas. More than 150 people in the U.S. die every year from accidental CO poisoning from generators or fuel-burning appliances such as furnaces, stoves, water heaters and fire places. Breathing CO at high levels can kill you.

Put CO alarms inside your home to provide an early warning of increasing CO levels. These alarms should be placed in a central location outside each sleeping area and on every level of your home.

As always, make sure you have a smoke alarm on every level of your home, inside bedrooms and outside sleeping areas. Test your alarms every month. Have a home fire escape plan and practice your plan at least twice a year. Make sure everyone knows how to escape your home if there is a fire.

For more information on heating fire safety, go to the U.S. Fire Administration.

Source: National Fire Protection Association
Links from the U.S. Fire Administration

It is with deepest regrets we announce the passing of Firefighter Robert Fitch.  Robert served as a volunteer firefighter of the East Herkimer Fire Department for 7 years.  At the time of his death, he was our Safety Officer.  Robert also held previous positions in the department; Vice President and Board of Directors.  Robert passed away on November 28, 2017, after responding to a rescue call the night before on November 27, 2017.

Robert was a man who gave freely and generously of his time to those in need.  Robert will be sadly missed by his brothers and sisters of the East Herkimer Fire Department and all those who were fortunate enough to have known him.