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 49th and 50th states annexed into the United States of America.
Walt became a member on July 28th 1959 and Angelo on December 29th 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.
Recruitment Open House to be Held at East Herkimer Fire Department on April 27, 2019 from 9:00am – 3:00pm
As part of the ninth annual RecruitNY statewide initiative East Herkimer Fire Department will open its doors to area residents so they can learn about what it takes to be a volunteer firefighter in their community.
The past several years have been challenging for volunteer fire
departments across New York State, as many are struggling with decreased
membership and increased call volume. Like most volunteer fire departments,
the East Herkimer Fire Department needs to bolster its ranks so it can
continue to provide the optimum and necessary level of protection for its
residents.
As part of RecruitNY, on Saturday, April 27 between 9:00am – 3:00pm the East Herkimer Fire Department located at 93 Main Road will join volunteer fire departments across the New York State at their respective firehouses for a unified recruitment drive. Not only will RecruitNY be an opportunity to highlight the rewards and responsibilities that come with being a volunteer firefighter, it will also raise public awareness about the need for volunteers.
Throughout the day, the East Herkimer Fire Department will conduct tours of the station and firefighter apparatus, allow visitors to try on firefighter gear, and provide activities and fascinating informational opportunities throughout the firehouse for visitors. The fire department will discuss the requirements to be a volunteer as well as conduct demonstrations, answer questions, and let visitors know how to get involved in the fire departments.
Last year, more than 350 fire departments across the state held recruitment open houses. FASNY is planning for an even higher turnout this year.
All are welcome to join us during RecruitNY. This is an excellent opportunity for people to meet their local volunteer firefighters and learn a bit more about the fire service. Volunteer firefighters are everyday heroes who dedicate their spare time to helping people in their times of need. We are always looking for new members, and it is our hope that after seeing the incredible camaraderie of the firehouse up close, more people will be interested in becoming a part of our very special family.
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:
If you are using a fireplace:
If you are using a wood stove:
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
On December 29, 2017 the East Herkimer Fire Department along with other departments assisted the Little Falls Fire Department at a large barn fire on Timmerman Road. EHFD provided a tanker and manpower.
