When an emergency arises, one or more of Centre County’s local volunteer fire departments are called to the rescue. Here are important facts about each.
ALPHA FIRE COMPANY
Total members: 119
Active members: 115
Budget: $781,733 operating budget. The company also has a capital budget consisting of municipal contributions of $333,653 from State College and College, Ferguson, Patton and Benner townships and Penn State. Benner Township makes a small contribution for services to the far western portion of the township. Also receives $21,000 in donations.
Main fundraisers/revenue: Taxes and donations
Equipment: Four engines, one quint, two aerial trucks, one rescue truck, two tankers, one command unit, one utility truck and the region’s foam trailer.
Auxiliary: No
Junior firefighters: No
Number calls/year: 1,030
Service area: State College; Ferguson, Patton and College townships and part of Benner Township; University Park campus. Main station at 400 W. Beaver Ave., State College, and satellite stations on Green Tech Drive and at the College Township Municipal Building at 1481 E. College Ave.
For information or to volunteer: 237-5359, 237-4127 or www.alphafire.com
BOALSBURG FIRE COMPANY
Total members: 60
Active members: 44
Budget: $255,000
Main fundraisers/revenue: Fire protection tax, annual carnival, traffic control at the People’s Choice Festival, weekly bingo, annual fund drive
Equipment: Two engines, one tanker, brush truck, rescue truck, utility truck, fire police unit
Auxiliary: Yes
Junior firefighters: Yes, age 16.
Number calls/year: about 210
Service area: Harris Township and part of College Township
For information or to volunteer: 466-7781 or www.boalsburgfire.com
CENTRE HALL FIRE COMPANY**
Total members: 160
Active members: 30-35
Budget: About $80,000
Main fundraisers: Carnival, chance ticket sales and shrimp feeds
Equipment: Two engines, a tanker, rescue engine, brush truck and two antique pieces
Auxiliary: Code 44 Team (serves food during fire calls and does fundraisers)
Junior firefighters: Being established
Number calls/year: about 180
Service area: Centre Hall and Potter Township
For information or to volunteer: 364-1816
CITIZENS HOOK & LADDER COMPANY
Total members: 126
Active members: 30 to 35
Budget: $190,000
Main fundraisers: car show, auction
Equipment: 2009 Ford F550 Brush Truck, 2008 Polaris Ranger, 2002 KME Engine/Rescue, 1990 Grumman Engine/Rescue, 2006 Sterling/ 4Guys Tanker, 2000 Chevy Utility
Auxiliary: Inactive
Junior firefighters: Yes, age 14 to 18
Number calls/year: About 475-500
Service area: Mileburg and Unionville boroughs, Boggs and Union townships
For information or to volunteer: 355-1130, www.milesburgfire.com
GREGG TOWNSHIP FIRE COMPANY
Total members: 250 to 300
Active members: 25
Budget: about $80,000
Main fundraisers: Carnival, raffles, hoagie sales, donations
Equipment: 1991 Frontline pumper truck, 2009 Chevy S500 Series Engine-squad, 1980 Four Guys International tanker, brush truck
Auxiliary: Yes
Junior firefighters: 14 and older
Number calls/year: about 50 to 60
Service area: Gregg Township, mutual aid with Centre Hall, Millheim and Miles Township
For information or to volunteer: 422-8626
HOPE FIRE COMPANY
Total members: 50
Active members: 20
Budget: $100,000
Main fundraisers: Spring Smoker Gun Raffle, Rescue Fund Drive, Heritage Days Giveaway
Equipment: One engine, one rescue, one tanker, one brush truck, and one brush tanker
Auxiliary: No
Junior firefighters: 14 and older
Number calls/year: 400 plus
Service area: Centre County: Rush Township and Philipsburg; Clearfield County: Decatur and Boggs townships
For information or to volunteer: Phone/fax 342-4900, email hope2@ hotmail.com, www.hopefireco.com
HOWARD FIRE COMPANY
Total members: 155
Active members: 60
Budget: $125,000
Main fundraisers: Catering and membership mailing
Equipment: One quick-response unit, two engines, one tanker, one rescue and fire rescue boat
Auxiliary: Yes
Junior firefighters: can join at age 14 but cannot participate in emergency calls; at 16 can participate in calls but cannot operate power tools
Number of calls/year: 245
Service area: Howard borough, Howard and Curtin townships, most of Marion Township
For information or to volunteer: 625-2761 or www.howardfire.com
LOGAN FIRE COMPANY
Total members: 270
Active members: 50
Budget: About $157,000 (combined budget for Logan and Undine fire companies)
Main fundraisers/revenue: Mail drive and carnival, comedy shows, dinners and chicken barbecues
Equipment: One engine, one engine-rescue, brush truck, Cascade Trailer and a special utility
Auxiliary: No
Junior firefighters: None at present
Number calls/year: 400
Service area: Bellefonte, parts of Spring Township, most of Benner Township and parts of Marion Township, which is mostly Interstate 80 calls
For information or to volunteer: 355-3100 or loganfireco.com
MILES TOWNSHIP FIRE COMPANY
Total members: More than 300
Active members: 53
Budget: $40,000
Equipment: one engine, one engine/rescue, one tanker, one brush truck, one utility/QRS
Auxiliary: Yes
Main fundraisers: Carnival, shrimp feeds, hoagie sales, gun raffle
Number calls/year: about 80
Junior firefighters: 16 and older
Service area: Miles Township
For information or to volunteer: 349-8149 or fax 349-8942
MILLHEIM FIRE COMPANY*
Active members: 59
Budget: $80,000
Equipment: Two engines, one rescue truck, one utility truck and one tanker
Auxiliary: Yes
Main fundraisers: Carnival
Number calls/year: 120
Junior firefighters: 14 and older
Service area: Millheim, Haines and Penn townships, western part of Miles Township and eastern half of Gregg Township
For information or to volunteer: 349-8164 or 349-8054
MOUNTAINTOP FIRE COMPANY
Total members: 60
Active members: 25
Budget: $110,000
Equipment: Engine rescue, brush truck, utility and two ambulances (one based in Osceola Mills substation)
Auxiliary: Yes
Main fundraisers: summer carnival, monthly dinners, monthly raffles
Number calls/year: 60 fire calls and about 320 EMS calls
Junior firefighters: 14 and older
Service area: Part of Rush Township, includes Sandy Ridge and surrounding areas. EMS responds to Osceola Mills and part of Decatur Township. Company also operates a community park.
For information or to volunteer: 342-5014, www.mountaintopfireco13.org
PINE GLEN FIRE COMPANY
Active members: 16
Budget: $32,000
Equipment: Engine rescue, engine, tanker, utility truck
Auxiliary: No
Main fundraisers/revenue: Monthly dinners, annual homecoming celebration, Chinese auction, various raffles and darawings
Number calls/year: 50
Junior firefighters: 12 and older
Service area: Burnside Township
For information or to volunteer: 387-4277
PLEASANT GAP FIRE COMPANY*
Total members: 250
Active members: 60
Budget: $330,000 (Pleasant Gap owns and operates its own ambulances.)
Main fundraisers/revenue: Carnival, donations and annual fund and mail drive
Equipment: one engine unit, one engine rescue unit, one heavy rescue unit, one tanker, one utility unit, one brush truck unit, three basic life support transport ambulances.
One rescue truck, one engine, one tanker, three ambulances, one brush truck, one engine/rescue and one utility
Auxiliary: EMS
Junior firefighters: 16 and older
Number calls/year: About 240 fire and rescue calls and 1,300 ambulance calls
Service area: Parts of Benner and lower Spring townships
For information or to volunteer: 359-2102 or www.fire8.com
PORT MATILDA FIRE COMPANY
Total members: 130
Active members: 31
Budget: $105,000
Equipment: One engine tanker, one pumper, one engine/rescue truck, a brush truck, fire police unit and utility truck
Auxiliary: Yes
Main fundraisers: Sunday dinners, carnival, gun raffle, special dinners and events
Number calls/year: About 240
Junior firefighters: 14 and older
Service area: Port Matilda and Worth, Huston, Halfmoon and Taylor Townships
For information or to volunteer: 692-4074 or visit www.portmatilda.com or on Facebook at Port Matilda Fire Co. 15
RELIANCE FIRE COMPANY*
Total members: 80 to 100
Active members: 40
Budget: $150,000
Equipment: Engine, ladder truck, utility truck and brush tanker
Auxiliary: Yes
Main fundraisers: Bingo and barbecue
Number calls/year: 275
Junior firefighters: 16 to 18 years old
Service area: Centre County: Philipsburg and Rush Township. Clearfield County: part of Decatur Township and most of Boggs Township
For information or to volunteer: 342-2710 or www.reliancefireco.com
SNOW SHOE FIRE COMPANY**
Total members: More than 400
Active members: 25 to 30
Budget: $75,000 to $100,000
Main fundraisers/revenue: Year-round Friday night bingo, carnival, township and borough picking up price of truck
Equipment: two engines, rescue unit, tanker, brush truck
Junior firefighters: Age 16 and older
Number calls/year: 60 to 70
Service area: Snow Shoe borough and township; part of Burnside Township; mutual aid with Pine Glen Fire Company
For information or to volunteer: 387-6835 or www.snowshoefire.com
UNDINE FIRE COMPANY
Total members: 800
Active members: 50
Budget: About $157,000 (combined budget for Logan and Undine fire companies)
Main fundraisers/revenue: Bingo, yearly raffles, building rentals, barbecues and social club
Equipment: Two engines, one ladder truck, one tower truck, one tanker, one brush truck
Auxiliary: No
Junior firefighters: Ages 16 and 17
Number calls/year: 400 to 425
Service area: Bellefonte and parts of Benner, Spring and Marion townships
For information or to volunteer: 355-7265.
WALKER TOWNSHIP FIRE COMPANY
Total members: About 300
Active members: 35
Budget: About $90,000
Equipment: Two engines, one tanker, one brush truck, one rescue, one utility
Auxiliary: No
Main fundraisers: Carnival, ham sandwich sales, gun raffle and mail campaign
Number calls/year: About 125
Junior firefighters: 14 and older
Service area: Walker Township, part of Marion Township. Also includes western substation on Cemetery Drive near Zion
For information or to volunteer: 383-4538
*Fire company officials could not be reached for update. Information last updated for 2010 Users’ Guide
**Fire company officials could not be reached for update. Information drawn from website and from information provided for 2009 or earlier Users’ Guide.
