CBS21 news came to Red Lion to tape a story on space heaters. Josh Young, Captain 34 at the time, was the speaker who showed everyone the safety and dangers of space heaters.

Leo Fire Co. becomes recognized by the State Fire Commissioner's office as being a 50% participant in the Fire Certification Program. This means that 50% of our active volunteers are now certified as Fire II and this is a National Recognition. The following members helped make our company receive this achievement: Brian Allison, Katie Allison, Bill Berger, Mark Claiborne, Paul Einsig, Mark Hillis, Billy Holtzman, Kevin Markel, James Pritchard, Cliff Smith, Joe Yahnke, Julie Yahnke, and Josh Young. On January 28, 2006 a banquet was held to honor all departments that participated in this training with special guest State Fire Commissioner, Ed Mann in attendance.

Fire volunteers build skills, morale
Eight area fire companies completed training and testing.
By LORI BADDERS
For the Weekly Record

Jan 24, 2006 — In November, 34 men and women from eight area fire companies successfully completed a 24-hour test that gave them national certification in Fire I and Fire II training. Some also completed an additional class in hazardous-material operations for national certification.

Before the two-day test in November, the volunteers put in about 100 hours of pretraining by gathering together at one of their station houses and by working on their own at home.
"I am very proud of all these individuals who made the sacrifices and who studied and practiced for weeks on end to earn this achievement to be nationally certified," said Ira Walker Jr., fire chief of Eureka Volunteer Fire Company in Stewartstown.
The Leo Independent Fire Company in Red Lion coordinated the training under the direction of volunteer firefighters Joe and Julie Yahnke. The pair organized a first meeting in July and regular training sessions followed until early November.

"The pretraining was very time-consuming. We gave 100 hours before we even took our tests," Leo Captain Joe Yahnke said.

The group completed their final exams and practical skills tests over a 24-hour period Nov. 12 and 13 at the York County Fire Training School .

Although certification in these training courses is not required, the achievement says a lot about those who voluntarily put their lives on the line for their communities, the firefighters said.

"It adds to your education as a firefighter to help make (you) the best you can be on a fire scene," Yahnke said.

Walker agreed, saying, "It challenges a firefighter, not only physically but mentally. It has a lot to do with pride and that feeling of achieving a goal."
"This is a morale-booster, in that the group of us who took this together became closer," Yahnke said.

The certification also benefits a fire department as an entity because it makes companies eligible for additional grant money from the federal and state governments.

And the training is not over.

"In this business, we have to continually train, train, train!" Walker said.

The firefighters

THIRTY-FOUR VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTERS FROM EIGHT AREA COMPANIES recently completed 24 hours of testing for Fire I and Fire II certification. They are:
Leo Independent Fire Company No. 1, Red Lion - Joe Yahnke, Julie Yahnke, Josh Young, Brian Allison, Katie Shumway, Paul Ensig, Kevin Markel, Billy Holtzman, Cliff Smith, Mark Hollis and Bill Berger

Eureka Volunteer Fire Company, Stewartstown - Ira Walker Jr., Justin Valentin, Alex Wilson, Brian Spangenberger, Rebecca Breese, Andrew Mayer, Jordan McFatridge, Kent Grein, Robert Street III and Josh Young

Yoe Fire Company - Francis Plaza

Shrewsbury Volunteer Fire Company - Dean Pearson

Dallastown Rescue Fire Company No. 1 - Dan Deller, Bob Bracken and Ben Rackey

Goodwill Fire Company No. 1, Jacobus - Ted Hake, Chris Kritchen, Joe Hildebrand, Shannon Blevins and Bill Bartenfelder

Laurel Fire Company, Windsor - Dan Orwig and Eric Myers

Grantley Fire Company, Spring Garden Township - Zach Boyer

Upcoming

RED LION'S LEO INDEPENDENT FIRE COMPANY will host an awards banquet 5 p.m. Saturday at the Dallastown Fire Company.
The event is designed to show appreciation for the hard work and dedication 34 area volunteer firefighters displayed in order to obtain national certification in Fire I and Fire II and hazardous-material operations.

Ed Mann, Pennsylvania State Fire Commissioner, will present the awards. State Sen. Mike Waugh, R-Shrewsbury Township , and state Rep. Stan Saylor, R-Windsor Township , also are expected to attend.