BVFD - Station 36

BVFD Recruitment Video

BVFD News, Calls and Information

Social Hall Rental

The Board Of Directors has made the decision that we will no longer be renting the Social Hall for events of any kind.

Bingo will continue as usual on Friday and Sunday evenings since this is a fire department function, not a rental.

BVFD 85th Anniversary Banquet

Past and present members and families of the Belle Valley Fire Department and invited guests from mutual aid departments, EMS, and Emergency Management gathered at the Ambassador Conference Center on Saturday, November 11th to celebrate our 85th anniversary.

Some members were recognized for special contributions during 2023, and all members from new through 60+ years of service from both the Fire Department and the Auxiliary were honored for their service to the community. We have a significant number of active members with 30+, 40+, and 50+ years of service, and they were honored with tokens of appreciation for their many years of dedication.

We were honored to have Dr. Brandon Kramer as our guest speaker. Dr. Kramer is well known to many in the community, and has over 25 years of EMS experience, much of it as a hands-on responder and Paramedic.

No matter what the future may hold for the Belle Valley Fire Department, we will continue to be “The Protectors Of The Valley” (and surrounding communities) for as long as we are able!

BVFD 2024 Elections

Elections for 2024 Business Officer and Line Officer positions are as follows.

Fire Department Business Officers

• President – Jeffrey Skonieczki
• Vice President – Joseph Altadonna
• Treasurer – Steven Woytek
• Assistant Treasurer – Matthew Rogers
• Secretary – Jeremy Kuhn
• Assistant Secretary – Dakota Moreland
• Board of Directors (3 year term) – Joseph Altadonna, Matthew Rogers

Fire Department Line Officers

• Fire Chief (360) – Jeremy Moreland
• Assistant Chief (361) – Ryan Geist
• Deputy Chief (370) – Thomas Krahnke Jr

Relief Association Business Officers

• President – Matthew Rogers
• Vice President – Joseph Altadonna
• Treasurer – Steven Woytek
• Secretary – Jeremy Kuhn

We would like to recognize and thank the officers for 2023, and wish the 2024 officers a safe and uneventful year!

Designer Purse Bingo, Saturday 10/7/2023

Designer Purse Bingo! Always a good time, have fun, win stuff event!

Doors open 10:30 AM, bingo from Noon to 3:00 PM

Designer purses, ca$h, gift baskets, 50/50 raffles and more

BYOB (21 and older with proper ID please)

Food and non-alcoholic beverages available for purchase.

Scan the QR Code in the event poster, or click on the link for the event to order tickets online. Note that QR Codes sometimes don't work, depending on how close or distant you are are, your phone and camera settings, etc.

Purse Bingo Tickets link:

October 2023 Designer Purse Bingo Tickets

Erie Gives Day August 8th 8:00 AM - 8:00 PM

Erie Gives 2023

Please support us during Erie Gives Day August 8th from 8:00 AM thru 8:00 PM. You can donate online using this link:

https://www.eriegives.org/orga...

National Night Out 2023

Save The Date - National Night Out - Tuesday, August 1st. - 6:00 PM-8:00 PM. (note the time change)

Food, fun, games and more, along with Emergency Services agencies and vehicles, and community organizations. Please join us.

Overflow parking available at the Belle Valley Presbyterian Church.

Glass Recycling Container Removal

Just to let the community know that the glass recycling container has been removed from the Belle Valley parking lot, as well as two other Millcreek Township locations. The township has elected to not pay the fee for periodically emptying the container, since the current township contract with Waste Management allows for glass to be recycled with other permitted items.

Visit the Prism website for other container locations in the area.

https://www.prismrecycling.com...

Purse Bingo! 4/22/23, Noon-3:00 PM

Doors open at 10:30 AM, bingo from Noon - 3:00 PM. Purses, cash, baskets, 50/50. BYOB (over 21, ID required).

Food and non-alcoholic beverages available to purchase.

For those that purchase tickets online, they will be available to pick up at the door.

Scan this barcode to order tickets online through Square.Com

Grant Clarification (click the text to see the news article)

To add some clarification to the Erie News Now article about grants, there was some mingling of information about grants that we have received versus ones that we have applied for.

Through the efforts of Representative Ryan Bizzarro, we received a PA State grant for $90,000 towards the expected cost of $110,000 to replace our 2003 Utility/EMS response vehicle. This has been on our wish list for almost 5 years, and thanks to Representative Bizzarro, this is finally going to happen. We also applied for and received a different PA State grant for $14,300 that will be used to purchase a battery powered fire hose roller and carrier, as well as a battery operated ventilation fan for Tower 369.

We have just submitted a request for a federal FEMA grant to replace our almost 15 year old breathing apparatus and air tanks. We have applied for almost $350,000 to cover the costs of replacing our current equipment. The air tanks themselves are a little over $1,000 each, and they will be reaching the end of their legal life span beginning at the end of 2023 and continuing into 2024. So, we have not received this much needed grant yet since the application period just closed.

Perry Hiway Hose Co Discontinuing EMS Mutual Aid May 1st (click this text for news story)

As a symptom of the difficulties being faced by the lack of volunteers and the shortage of career EMS personnel, Perry Hiway Hose Company has determined that as of May 1st, they will no longer be able to offer EMS mutual aid outside of their first-due response area. Since PHHC ambulances are called upon to provide coverage to Millcreek Township when Millcreek Paramedic Service ambulances are on other calls, this will at some point likely affect Belle Valley residents. It's a complex problem, but the current levels of volunteers, limited public support (both through donations and Fire/EMS tax support), and low pay levels for EMS personnel are all combining to the perfect storm in emergency responses.

BVFD Auxiliary Garage Sale!

BVFD Auxiliary Indoor Garage Sale, April 29th 2023, 8:00 AM - Noon. Sale Tables $15 for the first one, $5 for each additional.

For more information, contact Laura at 814-899-1918 or Barb at 814-897-6265.

2023 Fire Officers

Fire Officers for 2023 are as follows:

Chief 360 - Jeremy Moreland Assistant Chief 361 - Zach Kuhn Deputy Chief 370 - Tom Krahnke Jr Deputy Chief 371 - Ryan Geist Captain 372 - Jeremy Kuhn Lieutenant 36L4 - Isaac Burton Lieutenant 36L7 - Parker Cerneck Lieutenant 36L8 - Joe McKay Lieutenant 36L9 - Ian Jaskiewicz Safety Officer 36S1 - Steve Woytek Safety Officer 36S2 - Dave Soule Safety Officer 36S3 - Joe Altadonna Training Coordinator - Matt Rogers

Thanks to everyone who agreed to serve. Here's to a safe and effective 2023!

Recent Calls

Belle Valley was dispatched to assist other departments for multiple calls on 12/23 and 12/24. We responded to a total of 7 structure fire calls and 2 EMS calls.

On 12/23, Belle Valley was dispatched to assist Lawrence Park for a fully involved residential structure. Tower 369 responded at 8:43 PM and was at the scene until almost midnight. Due to the extreme weather conditions and winds, 12 different departments/organizations responded, including the City of Erie. On 12/24, we were dispatched again for a rekindle of the Lawrence Park fire. Tower 369 again responded at 7:00 AM and remained on scene until almost 9:30 AM.

Also on 12/24, we were dispatched to assist Harborcreek with a motel fire on Buffalo Road. Engine 364 and Tower 369 responded at 2:54 PM and were on scene until nearly 5:30 PM.

Much respect to all of the first responders (fire, police, EMS, dispatchers, tow operators, snow plow drivers, and others) working to keep us safe everyday, but especially around the holidays.

Here are a few pictures from the Lawrence Park initial fire...

Millcreek Township Planning To Create Partially Paid Fire Department

Some of you have undoubtedly seen the news article regarding hiring of paid firefighters and a fire chief for Millcreek Township.

Sadly, volunteer firefighters have been aging out of the ranks, and very few new volunteers have been applying. Pennsylvania has approximately 37,000 volunteer emergency responders. That number was nearly 300,000 in the 1970's. With the lack of volunteers, it's been increasingly difficult to provide a timely and effective response, especially during the daytime hours.

This has been under discussion for a number of years now, because it's not a new problem. This is a first attempt at trying to address the problem, admittedly in at least a small way. What this will mean for The Belle Valley Fire Department and for Millcreek Township remains to be seen, but the 100% ready, willing, and able volunteer model of the past is just not working today.

We encourage all Millcreek Township residents (and especially Belle Valley residents) to contact the Millcreek Township Supervisors with any thoughts or concerns on this issue. Their next meeting is on Tuesday 12/20/22 at 5:30 PM at the Township building on 26th and Caughey,

BVFD Elections

BVFD Election of Officers

Results of the election held on 11/6/2022 are as follows:

Business Officers

• President - Dave Soule
• Vice President - Steve Woytek
• Treasurer - Steve Woytek
• Assistant Treasurer - Matt Rogers
• Secretary - Jeremy Kuhn
• Assistant Secretary - Zach Kuhn

Board of Directors

• Jeremy Kuhn
• Zach Kuhn

Chief Officers

• Chief 360 - Jeremy Moreland
• Assistant Chief 361 - Zach Kuhn
• Deputy Chief 370 - Tom Krahnke Jr.

Business officers, Board of Directors, and line officer positions take effect 1/1/2023. Chief officer positions take effect on the first business meeting of January, currently scheduled for Wednesday, 1/4/2023.

Congratulations to all newly elected members, and sincere thanks to all members for your participation in 2022! Line officer and support staff positions will be announced as they are appointed by the chief officers.

Wednesday 10/12/22 Training

Wednesday training consisted of live fire exercises with Kearsarge and Kuhl Hose. These sessions give firefighters the opportunity to train under realistic fire conditions with other departments who are likely to be helping each other. Firefighters are continuously monitored both inside and outside the fire area by experienced chiefs and officers to insure safety as well as correct firefighting techniques. Click on the link below to view the video.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1uLnnQ-x51owYeYOesWPlsoXSFVXQ3TYt/view

2022 National Night Out Pictures

Here are some pictures from the 2022 National Night Out event held at BVFD. Thanks to the many FD members, Auxiliary members, and Emergency Service people who participated!

Click on any of the pictures to see a larger version. Thanks to Katlyn Zimmer and Zach Kuhn for their photos.

Erie Gives and 2022 Fund Drive

We would like to express our sincere thanks to those who gave during the annual Erie Gives event recently, and who have supported us during our ongoing Fund Drive. Without you, we can't do what we do, so thank you!

Ukraine Gear Donation

Through the efforts of Dan Hesch from Kearsarge Fire Department and the First Ukrainian Pentecostal Church, the Belle Valley Fire Department was able to donate 8 sets of firefighting gear that will be sent to Ukrainian firefighters desperately in need of it. The children and adults in these pictures are friends and neighbors of Dan’s who helped unload the gear and prepare it for shipment to Ukraine.

Click on photos to enlarge. Photos by BVFD photographer Katlyn Zimmer

2022 Fire Officers And Support Staff

2022 Belle Valley FD Fire Officers and Support Staff:

Chief 360 - Jeremy Moreland

Assistant Chief 361 - John Stephens

Deputy Chief 370 - Ryan Geist

Captain 371 - Zach Kuhn

Captain 372 - Jeremy Kuhn

Safety Officer 36S1 - Steve Woytek

Safety Officer 36S2 - Dave Soule

Fire Police Captain 36FP1 - Jonathan Altadonna

Fire Police Lieutenant 36FP2 - Nick Maly

Lieutenant 36L4 - Mark Longenecker

Lieutenant 36L8 - Ian Jaskiewicz

Lieutenant 36L9 - Josh Horstman

Quartermasters - Steve Woytek, Dave Soule, Josh Horstman

Mechanical Wizard - Thomas Krahnke

Photographer - Katlyn Zimmer

Election Of Officers/Board of Directors 2022

Belle Valley FD Election Of 2022 Officers

Results of the recent election are as follows. These positions become effective January 5^th, 2022

BUSINESS OFFICERS/BOARD OF DIRECTORS

President – Jeff Skonieczki

Vice-President – Steve Woytek

Secretary – Jeremy Kuhn

Assistant Secretary – Josh Horstman

Treasurer – Steve Woytek

Assistant Treasurer – Matt Rogers

Board Of Directors – Jeff Skonieczki

Board Of Directors – Ryan Geist

CHIEF OFFICERS

Chief 360 – Jeremy Moreland

Assistant Chief 361 – John Stephens

Deputy Chief 370 – Ryan Geist

Line officers and support personnel will be appointed as soon as the chiefs review the candidates.

The department wishes to thank the 2021 officers for their hard work during a truly challenging year, and congratulates the team for 2022 and wishes them much success!

National Night Out ~ Tuesday, August 3rd, 6:00 PM - 9:00 PM

Another fantastically successful National Night Out hosted by the Belle Valley Fire Department at the station on Norcross Road on Tuesday, August 3rd!

We would like to thank the following sponsors and participants in the event:

• United Way of Erie County
• Green Acreage Landscaping
• UTZ Quality Foods
• TOP’s Friendly Markets
• Smith’s Provision Company
• Schwebel’s Baking Company
• Mammoth Restoration
• Joe Kujawa
• Rockdale Farms of Butler
• Sundance Kids Farm Petting Zoo
• Crazy Monkey Attractions
• Erie County Firefighter’s Association Safety House
• DJ Justin
• Millcreek Paramedic Service
• Millcreek Police Department
• PA State Police
• Pat Martin Photography
• Kearsarge Fire Department Ropes Team
• NW PA K9 Search and Rescue Team
• The Anna Shelter
• The Bair Foundation Family And Child Ministries
• Russell C. Schmidt and Son Funeral Home
• AT&T FirstNet
• The Belle Valley Presbyterian Church
• Representative Bob Merski
• Councilwoman Kim Clear
• Councilman Jim Winarski
• Dr. Tyler Titus
• Deputy Sheriff Chris Campanelli

Special thanks to the members of The Belle Valley Fire Department and Ladies Auxiliary for the many hours of time and effort spent planning, preparing, and volunteering at the event!

Extra special thanks to Nathanial Hall, operator of “Lawns 4 Locals” for his generous donation of $400 to the Belle Valley Fire Department! Nathanial is a young man who mows lawns for donations, which he then passes on to local businesses and organizations.

Photos by BVFD photographer Katlyn Zimmer. Click on individual pictures for a larger version.

Glass Recycling Container Relocation

The Prism Glass Recycling container has been relocated from Headwaters Park on Wager Road to the East end of the Belle Valley Fire Department parking lot to enable easier access for East Millcreek Township residents.

Please be sure that glass items as shown in the guidelines are deposited carefully in the container only. If the container is full, please do not leave items around the outside of the container. Thank you for your assistance in keeping this area clean and safe for everyone.

2021 Fire Officers and Support Staff

These are the fire officers and support staff for 2021. These positions are in effect from 1/6/2021 through 1/5/2022. We are fortunate to have a number of members are interested in accepting the additional responsibilities that these positions require. Being a member of a volunteer fire department at any level requires a great deal of time and effort, and even more so for those accepting these positions. In addition to these officers and staff, we appreciate and thank all of our members, and look forward to serving our community in 2021 as we have since 1938!

Chief – John Stephens (360)

Assistant Chief – Zach Kuhn (361)

Deputy Chief – Ryan Geist (370)

Captains – Jeremy Kuhn (371), Matt Rogers (372)

Lieutenants – Josh Horstman (36L1), Paul Rogers (36L2), John Krahnke (36L3), Jason Wilson (36L4)

Scene Support Captain – Jonathan Altadonna (36FP1)

Scene Support Lieutenant – Nick Maly (36FP2)

Safety Officers – Steve Woytek (36S1), Dave Soule (36S2), Joe Altadonna (36S3), Jeremy Moreland (36S4)

Quartermasters – Steve Woytek, Dave Soule, Josh Horstman

Vehicle and Equipment Maintenance/Repair – Tom Krahnke Sr., Paul Rogers, Josh Horstman

BVFD Election Results

Results from the recent Belle Valley Fire Department elections. All terms take effect on 1/1/2021 and are for one year unless otherwise noted.

Chief Officers

Chief 360: John Stephens

Assistant Chief 361: Zach Kuhn

Deputy Chief 370: Ryan Geist

Business Officers

President: Jeff Skonieczki

Vice President: Joe Altadonna

Board Secretary: Jeremy Kuhn

Board Assistant Secretary: Josh Horstman

Treasurer: Matt Rogers

Assistant Treasurer: Steve Woytek

Board of Directors

Joe Altadonna (3 year term expires 12/31/2023)

Dave Soule (3 year term expires 12/31//2023)

2020 Officers and Board of Directors

Here are the BVFD officers and support staff for 2020:

• Chief 360 - John Stephens
• Assistant Chief 361 - Zach Kuhn
• Deputy Chief 370 - Tom Krahnke Jr.
• Captain 371/Training Officer - Ryan Geist
• Lieutenant 36L1 - Jeremy Kuhn
• Lieutenant 36L2 - Josh Horstman
• Safety Officer 36S1 - Steve Woytek
• Safety Officer 36S2 - Dave Soule
• 362/364 Engineer - John Krahnke

Previously announced board of directors members and business officers for 2020 are:

Board Of Directors

• Joe Altadonna
• Jeremy Kuhn
• Zach Kuhn
• Tom Lewis
• Matt Rogers
• Jeff Skonieczki
• Dave Soule
• John Stephens

Business Officers

• President – Jeff Skonieczki
• Vice President – Joe Altadonna
• Secretary – Jeremy Kuhn
• Assistant Secretary – Josh Horstman
• Treasurer – Laura O’Connell
• Assistant Treasurer – Steve Woytek

Elections For 2020 Officers

Here are the results for the BVFD elections held on Sunday, 11/10/2019. All positions are effective January 1, 2020:

Chief Officers

Chief 360 – John Stephens

Assistant Chief 361 – Zach Kuhn

Deputy Chief 370 – Tom Krahnke Jr.

Board Of Directors

Joe Altadonna

Jeremy Kuhn

Zach Kuhn

Tom Lewis

Matt Rogers

Jeff Skonieczki

Dave Soule

John Stephens

Business Officers

President – Jeff Skonieczki

Vice President – Joe Altadonna

Secretary – Jeremy Kuhn

Assistant Secretary – Josh Horstman

Treasurer – Laura O’Connell

Assistant Treasurer – Steve Woytek

Congratulations!