Bower Hill VFD celebrates 100 years of service in Scott Township
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In an era where local volunteer fire departments are struggling, the Bower Hill Volunteer Fire Department in Scott Township is going strong as it celebrates its 100th year of service.
Township commissioners recognized the department during their January meeting.
“As we look into the future, my hope is that we can carry forward the legacy crafted by the members who came before us,” Fire Chief Rob Losekamp said. “Today, we are confronted by various challenges in attracting a new generation of firefighters, men or women, to serve our community.
“Same as many other fire departments, even if you’re not in Scott Township, stop at your local fire department to see how you can join or help.”
Today, the Bower Hill Volunteer Fire Department has 36 active firefighters, including four junior firefighters and 30 supporting members, and a fleet of vehicles including engines and an attack truck.
The department was chartered in 1924. At that time, 12 men volunteered to start the fire company, according to Kevin Trichtinger, department historian.
The department started service with a hand-drawn hose cart and a few hundred feet of fire hose, two hand-pumped water fire extinguishers, and some canvas coats and leather helmets. All of the materials were purchased used, reportedly from the government’s World War I surplus.
During its first decades of services, the department served a community that was compact and tight-knit, according to Trichtinger. By 1928, membership had grown to 54 people.
Years passed and the department began to update its equipment. In 1941, the Ladies Auxiliary of the Bower Hill Volunteer Fire Department met for the first time.
In 1954, the department provided ambulance service — a 1948 GMC Panel Truck donated by the Pennsylvania Boys Reform School in South Fayette — to meet a new need, Trichtinger said. Ambulance calls soon exceeded fire calls by a 2-to-1 margin.
To celebrate the department’s 50th anniversary in 1974, the department hosted a festival. The “Monte Carlo Week” and parade were well attended, and the community once again saw the department as a source of pride and a public asset, Trichtinger said.
Leading up to its 100th year, the department kept up with the times and the growing and changing needs of the township.
Trichtinger thanked everyone who has ever served in the Bower Hill Volunteer Fire Department.
“You made this department what it is today, and we’re proud to continue your work. This is your story, and we can never afford to forget it,” he said.
Signing the 100-year proclamation was like a full-circle moment for Commissioners Chairwoman Stacey Altman. She said her grandfather and great-grandfather were some of the men trying to get fire houses started, and their names are on a plaque at Bower Hill.
“I have always had a huge respect for what they do. Reaching 100 years is an amazing accomplishment,” Altman said. “It’s been my privilege to work with the firefighters from BHVFD and the rest of the Scott Township Fire District. Their dedication is undying, and the township is lucky to have them.”