Saturday, September 12, 2015
Troy volunteer firefighters were among the thousands of Americans who participated in rescue and recovery operations following the 9/11 attacks at the World Trade Center. Eight members from the Troy Fire Department drove to New York and spent 48 hours searching for survivors at Ground Zero.
This outreach reflects the continued dedication of Troy’s volunteer force and the increased scope of their work. Today’s volunteers respond to more complex fires and emergencies that require a solid background in chemistry, hydraulics, geometry, physics, and sophisticated equipment. Over time the department has expanded volunteer training requirements and instituted more comprehensive and rigorous training in many disciplines to maintain the readiness of everyone on the force.
New probationary members of the department complete 340 hours of training. They also train on and become certified for each piece of apparatus in their station. When the requirements of the probationary period are successfully completed, the volunteer is approved by a vote of the active firefighters at the station. Active volunteers are then required to participate in continued training every quarter.
Photos:
Steve Gerard and an unidentified officer at Ground Zero
Troy volunteers at Ground Zero. Back Row left to right: Team leader Tom VanSimaeys, Dustin Lockhard, Jack Spreyer, Jason Reynolds, Noel Clason, Terry McDonnell, and Steve Gerard. In front, left to right, Ali Taqi, and an unknown firefighter.
Source:
Fire Calls and Station Stories: An Illustrated History of the Volunteer Troy Fire Department, by Loraine Campbell and Fred Barnard, 2009
To commemorate the City of Troy’s 60th Anniversary in 2015, we will publish a different story each day that highlights a person, discovery, or event that occurred locally, regionally, nationally, or even globally between 1955 and 2015 and that helped shape our lives and our community. We will try to post stories on important anniversary dates, but we also realize that dates are less critical than content and context. We will include the facts related to controversial stories, allowing our readers to form their own opinions. We invite you to read and comment on the stories. Your suggestions for topics are also welcome and can be posted on our Facebook page, www.facebook.com/TroyHistoricVillage. You can also email stories or ideas to the 365 Story Editor at ed@thvmail.org.
