Nothing touches a community like fire.
During its 207-year existence, the City of Pottsville has seen blazes tear through businesses and take lives. And for more than 180 years, the community has an organized fire department there to battle them.
"I think our biggest fire occurred on December 17, 1914," Michael R. Glore, Pottsville, co-author of the 2010 book "Schuylkill County Firefighting," said Wednesday.
It was a three-alarm blaze which destroyed numerous buildings on the west side of Centre Street from Mahantongo to Norwegian. Among them was The P.J. Ferguson building which housed Woolworth Co. It left 300 people out of work, according to the "Joseph H. Zerbey History of Pottsville and Schuylkill County," published in 1936.
"The damage then totaled $471,257. Today, that would equal about $10,635,000," Glore said.
Such stories about the city's fire history will be highlighted when local firefighters will take stage at the Sovereign Majestic, 209 N. Centre St., Pottsville, to talk about the 184-year history of firefighting in the City of Pottsville.
Glore will be among the presenters at the event, "History of the Pottsville Fire Departments." The Pottsville Fire Department and Schuylkill County Historical Society are hosting the event, slated for 7 p.m. Feb. 27.
City Fire Chief Todd March said Friday it will be a unique event. He said he couldn't recall anything like it being held in the 37 years he's been chief.
Glore has been sharing information about the history of the department on social media sites online over the years. When David Derbes, president of the Schuylkill County Historical Society, Pottsville, asked him if he'd be willing to do a presentation for the society's lecture series, they decided to make it a more special event.
Usually, the society books its lectures at its headquarters at 305 N. Centre St., Derbes said Friday.
"Because of the positive response we've been getting, Dave made arrangements to do it at the Sovereign Majestic. We thought we'd need a bigger venue," Glore said.
The event will be free and open to the public, Derbes said.
"It's not a fundraiser. But donations to the historical society or local fire companies are surely more than welcome," Glore said.
Glore, 44, is a full-time firefighter in Reading. He's also a member of Phoenix Fire Company No. 2 in Pottsville.
Glore said Wednesday's he's hard at work on his presentation. It will include photos and film footage which will be projected onto the theater's big screen.
"We have some vintage video from the 1960s in Pottsville," he said.
Other speakers will include Michael J. Kitsock, Pottsville, the president of the Schuylkill Historical Fire Society in Shenandoah.
Kitsock and Glore co-authored three books in Arcadia's "Images of America" series: "Pottsville Firefighting" in 2004; "Reading Firefighting" in 2008; and "Schuylkill County Firefighting" in 2010.
"They're two folks that have a wealth of information because they've dedicated a lot of time to it," John Matz, emergency management coordinator for the Schuylkill County Emergency Management Agency, Pottsville, said Wednesday.
"Mike's a fire history buff. He's one of our good firefighters in the city. He's a good guy. If he and Mike are doing it, it should be a class act," March said.
Local volunteer firefighters will be on hand and a display of equipment will be there as well, Glore said.
Through research, Glore and Kitsock determined Friendship Hose in Orwigsburg was the first fire company in Schuylkill County. It started up about 1809. Kitsock said they determined this by the lettering on the company's first piece of fire apparatus, an 1809 Pat Lyons hand pumper.
More than 130 fire companies have formed in Schuylkill County since its first, Friendship Hose Company No. 1 of Orwigsburg, organized in 1820, according to Glore.
The city's has seven active fire companies: American Hose Company No. 2; Good Intent Fire Company No. 1; Good Will Fire Company No. 4; Humane Fire Company No. 1; Phoenix Fire Company No. 2; West End Fire Company No. 7; and Yorkville Hose & Fire Company No. 1.
In modern times, volunteer fire companies across the nation have been struggling to survive. Volunteer numbers are down, Glore said.
"I think there are so many other demands on people's time today, plus it's not as recreational as it used to be. Years ago you'd come in, sign your application and that night you went to a fire. Now there are requirements (which) are so extensive," Glore said.
All firefighters are required to take a minimum 110-hour National Fire Protection Association-certified course, according to volunteerfd.org.
For information about local classes, people can visit the website for the Schuylkill County Training Academy, a school for firefighter training based in Frackville.
There are about 150 active volunteer firefighters in Pottsville, March said. "It's not like it used to be," March said.
"Aside from talking about fire engines, fire companies and fires, this is also a history of the city itself in terms of businesses, industry, ancestors, family homesteads, building construction, architecture. There's so much involved that people would find fascinating," Glore said.
INFO BOX:
Following is a timeline of notable events in the history of the fire companies in the City of Pottsville.
- April 1829 - The city's first fire company, The Schuylkill Hydraulian
Company, was founded. On Sept. 26, 1867, it was chartered as The
Phoenix Fire Engine Company No. 2.
- Oct. 3, 1829 - Pottsville Fire Company organized, became Humane Fire Company No. 1 in 1844.
- 1836 - The development of the original water works in Pottsville.
- 1846 - The Good Intent Fire Company No. 1 was founded.
- June 30, 1848 - Rough and Ready Fire Company organized, became the American Hose Company No. 2 in 1866.
- 1873 - The Atkins Fire Company was established. It went out of service in 1894.
- Sept. 7, 1886 - The West End Hose Company No. 7 was founded.
- 1882 - Good Will Fire Company No. 4 was organized.
- 1891 - Yorkville Hose & Fire Company No. 1 was organized. Admitted to the Pottsville Fire Department in 1907.
- 1946 - Greenwood Hill Fire Company became the city's eighth fire company. On Jan. 7, 2009, the Pottsville Fire Department voted to remove Greenwood Hill Fire Company from its ranks. The company has been suspended since Nov. 20, 2007. The company's trained firefighters failed to respond to at least 20 percent of its fire calls in 2007 and "internal problems" at the company led to a drop in membership. The company did not improve its situation in 2008, Pottsville fire Chief Todd March said previously.
- Dec. 15, 2010 - Pottsville Fire Chief Todd March celebrated the 35th anniversary since he was sworn in as fire chief Dec. 15, 1975. According to Glore, March has held the post longer than any other fire chief in the city's history.
Sources: Michael R. Glore; The "Joseph H. Zerbey History of Pottsville and Schuylkill County," published in 1936; The Republican-Herald archives.