Alpha Fire Company

The Alpha Fire Company provides fire and rescue services for the Borough of State College, College Township, Ferguson Township, Patton Township, and The Pennsylvania State University.[1][2]

Alpha Fire Company
Do More. Be More. Volunteer.
Operational area
Country United States
State Pennsylvania
CountyCentre County
Agency overview
Established1899
Annual calls1400
Employees100
StaffingAll Volunteer
Facilities and equipment
StationsMain Station, 400 West Beaver Ave
College Township Station
Patton Township Station
EnginesEngine 5-1, Engine 5-2, Engine 5-3, Engine 5-4
Tanker 5-1, Tanker 5-2
TrucksTruck 5-1, Truck 5-2, Quint 5
RescuesRescue 5
Website
Alpha Fire Company

The company was formed in 1899 as the Union Fire Company and changed its name to Alpha Fire Company in 1900.

Mission and community service

The Mission Statement of Alpha Fire is: "To protect the lives and property of the members of the Borough of State College and surrounding communities." Volunteers who serve with the company are each required to undergo 40 to 50 hours of training per week during nine to ten week training sessions, and are also given eighteen months to earn the necessary 204 hours of classroom time to achieve national certification.[3]

In addition to the protection of property and lives,[4] members of the fire department also engage in activities which foster positive working relations between the department and members of the community. In the past such activities have included transporting Santa Clause through the borough during State College's annual Christmas Eve celebration.[5]

Apparatus

Alpha Fire Company operates a fleet of 19 vehicles.

  • Command 5 - Incident command post rotated among the line officers
  • Car 5 - Fire chief's car, additional command post
  • Traffic 5-1 - Fire police traffic unit
  • Traffic 5-2 - Fire police traffic unit
  • Special Unit 5 - Modified 2005 Chevy Silverado Crew Cab
  • Utility 5-1
  • Utility 5-2
  • UTV 5 - Kubota RTV
  • Service 55 - 2018 Ford F-350 with a Reading Body

Engine Companies
  • Engine 5-1 - 2005 Pierce Dash
  • Engine 5-3 - 2002 Pierce Dash Custom Engine
  • Engine 5-4 - 2017 Pierce Velocity PUC
  • Engine 5-2 - 2002 Pierce Dash Custom Engine
  • Tanker 5-1 - 2013 Pierce Custom Tanker
  • Tanker 5-2 - 2004 5 Guys Custom Tanker

Truck Companies
  • Truck 5-1 - 2016 95 Foot Pierce Velocity ladder Truck
  • Truck 5-2 - 2009 75 Foot Pierce Aerial Scope tower ladder Truck
  • Quint 5 - 2010 75 Foot Aerial PUC Quint on a Pierce Arrow XT Chassis.

Rescue Company
  • Rescue 5 - 2000 Saulsbury Cougar Series Rescue on a Spartan Gladiator Long four-door Chassis

Stations

Alpha Fire operates out of three stations:[6]

Main Station

The Main Station at 400 West Beaver Avenue opened in 1975. The Main Station has a Meeting Room, Maintenance Shop, Lounge and Watch Office. The station houses 5 pieces of apparatus, Engine 5-2, Engine 5-3, Truck 5-1, Rescue 5, Tanker 5-1. Traffic units 5-1 and 5-2 and Utility 5-1 are also housed here.

College Township Station

The College Township station is a sub-station housed in the basement of the College Township Building at 1481 East College Avenue. This station has a Watchroom, Office, Lounge, Bunkroom, Live-in rooms, and a Kitchen. Engine 5-1 and Quint 5 are housed here.

Patton Township Station

The Patton Township Sub-Station facility at 2598 Green Tech Drive opened in 2001. It has rooms for four live-in members and a bunkroom for additional firefighters. The station houses Truck 5-2, Engine 5-4, Utility 5-2 and Tanker 5-2.

See also

References
  1. Paez, Sarah. "The plight of Pa.'s volunteer fire companies can look bleak. What are the solutions?" State College, Pennsylvania: Centre Daily Times, February 19, 2019.
  2. "Fire Protection." State College, Pennsylvania: Borough of State College (government website), retrieved online February 23, 2019.
  3. Paez, Sarah. "Vanishing volunteers, rising costs, evolving pressures put squeeze on Pa. fire departments." State College, Pennsylvania: Centre Daily Times, February 19, 2019.
  4. Rushton, Geoff. "Alpha Fire Company Responds to Smoke Coming from Allen Street Building." State College, Pennsylvania: StateCollege.com, February 7, 2019.
  5. Rushton, Geoff."Alpha Fire Company to Escort Santa Through Centre Region." State College, Pennsylvania: StateCollege.com, December 24, 2018.
  6. "Fire Protection," Borough of State College.
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