Blair County Allied

    The new EMA Director for Blair County is to be invited to the monthly meeting of the Association when we meet at the Bald Eagle station.

The annual Fire School program is in question as to how to continue it in the future. With the very low attendance this year the college will no longer provide printing and mailing of the brochures. The Association would like input from the membership of the Association as to your desires for training in Blair County.

    A survivor of the 9-11 terrorist attacks on New York is now in the Blair County area and will be providing a seminar of the events from that day. We will try to schedule this for the Blair County Ballpark to be aired after the game on the Emergency Services recognition night, it will last approx. 30 minutes.

Fire School registrations are at a very low count for this point in time with only 36 students registered. Please get the word out there is only a short time left to register for classes with the closing date set for April 11, 2009.

The annual audit has again been postponed until 7:00 pm, one hour prior to the April meeting in Tyrone at the Neptune Fire Station.

There is a guest speaker being planned for a program prior to the September Meeting of the Allied Firemen's Association in Bellwood. More information will be posted as it becomes available.

The meeting was hosted by Station 12 Newburg Volunteer Fire Company.

Due to the absence of the Treasurer, the Audit has been postponed until March 16 at the Logan United Station.

To this date 20 fire school registrations have been received. $380.00 is being submitted to the Treasurer for deposit.

A grant writing class is scheduled for 7pm Wednesday March 4 at the old AMED building at 13th Ave and 16th St.

The Blair County Office of Emergency Management Director is vacant and the County Commissioners are looking for resumes to fill the position.

As a reminder there is a 20ft by 30ft US flag available for use at firefighter funerals where an outdoor display is needed. The flag is stored at the County 911 Center.

The annual Memorial Service started the meeting. A very nice service was provided with the announcement of 46 Fire Service members names being read who have died in the last year.

During the meeting it was suggested to watch the upcoming legislative actions as numerous bills will be flowing down the line which could effect the Fire Service.

The Audit Committee for 2009 has been appointed and will review the financial records of the Treasurer prior to the February meeting of the Association.

Station 10, The Phoenix Volunteer Fire Company is planning a Saturday evening party at their station during the County Fire School weekend. This will occur on Saturday May 2, 2009.

The election of officers for 2009 was held with the results of the election posted on the home page of this web site.

The January meeting of the Allied will be placed in the Altoona Mirror as an advertisement for the annual Memorial Service.

Special Report - The State Attorney General has announced the theft of a laptop computer from, the car, of a field officer who deals with Relief Associations. Watch your accounts closely in case the computer information gets into the wrong hands.

The January meeting to be held at Geeseytown station will begin early at 7:30 pm with the annual Memorial Service. Please invite family members of any deceased members of your department to attend this Service honoring the memory of their departed family member.

Nominations for 2009 were held with the following results:

President - Dave Zeek

Vice President - Ed Franks

Secretary - Bob Kerns

Treasurer - Lenny Alwine

Trustees (4) - Tom Morgan, Gerald Hoover Jim Ryan, Leroy Focht

Fire School Director (3 yrs) Tom Morgan

Fire Seminar - 40 fire personell attended the seminar held at the Phoenix Fire Station.

Families of deceased members are to be invited to the annual Memorial Service sponsored by the Allied, that will be at the Geeseytown Fire Station on January 19th at 7:30 pm.

The 2009 Blair County Fire School brochure will soon be ready for distribution.

Fire departments who wish to continue their membership in the Association must pay their annual dues.

The fundraiser has been postponed till after the 1st of the year.

Vice President Edgar Franks has fallen at home and is now in the Health South rehab because of the ribs that were broken, he is in room 203 for anyone available to visit with him.

A fire school meeting has been scheduled for Thursday October 23rd at the Bellwood Fire Station begining at 7pm.

The firefighter of the month from Blazing Arrow Hook & Ladder Fire Company is Harry S Dillon III. Please find the full story on the FOM page.

Excelsior Fire Company of Bellwood has offered to host the 2009 Spring Blair County Fire School. Planning will now begin and information will be posted on the Fire School page as it becomes available.

There was a motion and approval to renew the web site Domain Name for an additional 5 years. This will be done by webmaster Tom Morgan.

Ideas for fundraising will be presented at the October or November meeting of the Association by Bob Whiteford.

The Trustee Office vacancy of Donald P Linafelt Jr will be held open until the next regular election.

Family members of deceased firefighters to be remembered at the annual January Memorial Service should be invited to attend the service.

    The meeting held at Bedford Fire Station provided new information IRS regulations of reporting "Capital Gains" on savings accounts for Non Profit Organizations. The Secretary has available printed sheets on additional laws. 1. New PA law to Codify Municipal Responsibilities for Fire and EMS. 2. New Reporting Requirements for Tax-exempt Entities with Outstanding Tax-exempt Bonds. 3. IRS Zeroing in on America's Nonprofits including Fire Companies. These printed reports are available by contacting the Secretary.

    A Fire Service seminar is being planned for presentation in October at an Auditorium in Hollidaysburg. There will be more information posted as it becomes available.

    No Firefighter of the Month applications were presented at this meeting. These applications can be turned in by any member Company, which will be held for use at meetings when the host Company doesn't offer a candidate for the monthly award.

The meeting was hosted by the members of the Martinsburg Volunteer Fire Dept.

During the meeting a discussion of the Fire School program was had with the results be the need for a host fire company from our Association to assist with the training in their community. The needs of the host are to provide an adequate place of class rooms, field training areas, and provide food for the students as per Blair County Fire School regulations. Any Fire Company interested should contact Fire School Director Tom Morgan at tmorgan3900@atlanticbb.net or by phone at 946-3900 for more information.

The Fire Fighter of the Month from Martinsburg is Rich Brantner Jr a 20 year member of Martinsburg Volunteer Fire Company.

A discussion was held with reference to inaccurate and incomplete incidents being dispatched. It has been suggested to generate a program for the media to inform the public of the costs incurred with putting fire and other emergency equipment on the road for a false call or a call that is inaccurate or with incomplete information, with the hopes of getting better specifics for the dispatchers. Anyone with ideas and would like to help with this issue should attend the July meeting of the Association.

    This meeting was cancelled due to a lack of a quorum.

The April Meeting was held at the Phoenix Fire Station in Hollidaysburg. President Zeek announced there will be an open house at the Phoenix Fire Station on Saturday May 3, 2008 from 6:30 pm till ? and this will be during the Blair County Fire School Weekend. The address is 206 Wayne St Hollidaysburg PA 16648. This address is located behind the Borough Building along Route 22.

The Blair County Fire Chiefs are in the process of having their Association  Chartered in the State of Pennsylvania. They hope to improve all aspects of the fire service in the County. More information will be announced as it becomes available.

FOM is Darrel Bean. See FOM page for more info.

    The March Meeting was held at the Pinecroft Fire Station. Secretary Bob Kerns offered a legislative report as follows: these are only proposed legislation. House Bill 2204 which would increase the Bingo limits; House Bill 1612 has to do with "Home Safe Cigarettes" they would be manufactured to self extinguish if put down; Senate Bill 1116 would offer volunteer firefighters a personal income tax credit after acheiving a minimum level of training.

    The fire school registrations have increased to 73 students, however we still need many more to continue to offer the classes advertised in the brochure. A minimum of 15 students is required for each class.

    Due to the Claysburg Fire Company building a new station the April Meeting has been moved to Hollidaysburg at the Phoenix Fire Station.

    The February Meeting was held at the Lakemont Fire Station. Webmaster Tom Morgan gave a report on the Allied web site. The Audit report was submitted and approved. Fire School Director Tom Morgan reported on the progress of the fire school registrations standing at 22 students pre-registered.

    Treasurer Lenny Alwine gave the annual report of finances and included an announcement for the need of fundraisers due to the expenses becoming greater than the income.

1/21/2008

    The annual Memorial Service for deceased firefighters began at 7:30pm. Rev. David Williams from Bare Memorial Church of God, Roaring Spring was the main speaker. Chaplain Leonard Alwine and Tom Amick preformed parts along with musical selections by Jeanne Bolger and Lester Nearhoof. Tom Morgan read the final roll call and Ardist Miller tolled the memorial bell.

    Judge Hiram C Carpenter swore in the 2008 Officers and then offered a few words to the new officers.

    Outgoing Secretary Ardist Miller was presented with a plaque for her service to the Allied Association.

    Secretary Kerns reported on some recent legislation passed in Harrisburg.

    Matthew Klingerman of Hollidaysburg was awarded the Fireman of the Month.

    The Association trustees were assigned by President Zeek to preform the duties of auditing the Treasurer's Books.

12/17/2007

    The election was held at this meeting with the only contested position being that of Secretary and the winner was Bob Kerns. All officers are listed on the home page.

    The new flag purchased by the Allied Association was displayed at the funeral of Chuck Piper in Roaring Spring on Saturday December 15, 2007. This flag is stored at the County 911 Center and available for use throughout the County.

    A motion was made and passed to open the charter for the year of 2008 for open membership. Any member of any member fire company of the Association may join the Association by paying dues during the year of 2008.

    A motion was made and passed for the Allied Association to rejoin the PA Fire & Emergency Services Institute.

    Lenny Alwine and Ed Franks are organizing the Annual Memorial Service for the Allied to be held at the Phoenix Fire Station in Hollidaysburg beginning at 7:30 pm on Monday January 21, 2008.

11/19/2007

    Nomination of Officers for 2008 was held at this meeting with the following results:

President - Dave Zeek, Hollidaysburg

Vice President - Ed Franks, Roaring Spring

Secretary - Ardist Miller, Altoona    and    Bob Kerns, Hollidaysburg

Treasurer - Lenny Alwine, Logan Township

Trustees (vote for 4) - Tom Morgan, Logan Township    Jim Ryan, Altoona    Don Lingafelt, Hollidaysburg    Gerald Hoover, Martinsburg

Fire School Director - Dave Zeek

    The reopening of nominations and election for these offices will be held at the December 17th meeting to be held at the Canan Station Fire Hall

A motion was made and passed to donate $200.00 to the Shriner's Hospitals for Children.

A motion was made and passed to donate $250.00 to the Greater Altoona Area Vo-Tech as a scholarship for the Emergency Services Class.

Under PA State guidelines Junior Firefighters may start at age 14 years with a work permit from their school and must follow child labor laws.

The Central District Volunteer Firemen's Association also has a web site at http://www.freewebs.com/cdvfa.