Vandergrift mourns sudden death of Assistant Fire Chief Frank Morton

Frank L. Morton III is being remembered by fellow firefighters, friends and community members for his unwavering dedication and service to the citizens of Vandergrift.

Morton, of East Vandergrift, served nine years with Vandergrift Volunteer Fire Department No. 2.

Morton died Tuesday at Allegheny Valley Hospital in Harrison from a medical condition after responding to a call reporting natural gas in a structure.

He was 55.

Morton joined the fire department in 2014.

Joyce Hanz | Tribune-Review

Vandergrift Volunteer Fire Department #2 displays the turnout gear of Frank Morton, who died May 31. Morton, of East Vandergrift, served as an assistant fire chief.

He was third assistant chief for the past two years, vice president of the company’s fundraising committee and was a fire company safety officer.

Morton’s firefighting partner, Thomas Hickey, called Frank his “buddy and angel.”

“He saved my life on three separate occasions, and helped me with my cancer treatments,” Hickey said. “Over the past 25 years, we have lived, laughed and cried together.”

Hickey recalled Morton’s devotion to serving his community through firefighting.

“He was an asset to this community and his fire department,” Hickey said.

Morton’s hobbies included baking his famous cheesecakes, spending time at the fire station and cooking.

He was instrumental in the training of junior firefighters and inspected the firefighting equipment regularly.

Morton received the Albert E. Wick Award in 2020 from the Western Pennsylvania Firemen’s Association.

Raised in Camden, N.J., Morton was the son of Barbara L. Price Morton of Woodbury Heights, N.J., and the late Frank L. Morton.

Friends said Morton was proud that he had attained the rank of Eagle Scout.

Friend and fellow firefighter Stephen Potoka said Morton’s family in New Jersey are “very devastated” and are in the process of traveling to Vandergrift for the funeral Monday.

Morton was employed as a production worker at A.L. Hyde Plastics.

Potoka described Morton as a “great person, inside and out.”

“I’ll miss his dedication to the fire service. It takes a very special person to want to be a fireman. The countless hours of training and fundraising — Frank was that guy 100%,” Potoka said. “In my 36 years in the fire department, Frank was the most dedicated person to walk through those doors wanting to be a fireman.”