03/29/2023
My name is Heidi Cummings. I am the President of the Columbia Hose, Hook and Ladder #1, but the people of Bellevue know us as the Bellevue Volunteer Fire Company. What most citizens of Bellevue probably don’t realize, is that the Borough of Bellevue also has 2 full-time (formerly 3) firemen that make up the Bellevue Fire Department. In a 24 hour period, the fireman for the boroughs’ fire department is responsible for driving and operating 108 engine, the primary fire suppression apparatus for the borough. All other emergencies - vehicle rescue, medical, fire suppression and rescue, mutual aid emergencies in other communities- are responses attended to by the volunteers of Columbia Hose, Hook and Ladder #1. So if you see more than just one fireman and one engine on an emergency scene- every other vehicle and responder is a volunteer. The paid driver and our volunteers work seamlessly together on emergency scenes.
The constituents of Bellevue Borough need to understand that a decision was made by YOUR council members that greatly puts your families at risk. Please read the following posts I’m spreading to my own family and friends on my personal page, our Bellevue Volunteer Fire Dept page, as well as with local media.
The public NEEDS to start asking questions of your elected officials.
You will be seeing us speaking up for the citizens of Bellevue in the coming days as we talk to the media and try to raise awareness on social media. Residents of Bellevue Borough- PLEASE- especially take note of the article in the Citizen from this evening that lists the names of YOUR Bellevue Borough council members. I implore you to contact them and ask them for some clarity on their decision making.
Thank you for your support,
Heidi Cummings
President, Columbia Hose Hook and Ladder #1
————————————
Please read my comments on this thread. We’ll have more official statements forthcoming. We are reeling. We are completely numb. You want to see big tough men break down and cry? Come swing on by our firehouse. We are volunteers. We work HARD. For nothing. We see things no one should ever have to see - for nothing. We leave our families, miss outings and celebrations- for free. We pull mangled bodies from vehicles, burnt limp children out of fires, watch our friends suffer from PTSD and commit suicide—- think I’m being dramatic? Every member of our Bellevue Volunteer Fire Company has felt exactly what I’m talking about.
These community council members need to take accountability for what they do. With zero public safety experience, they use their power to negate resources that they don’t even BEGIN to understand the depth of.
In January, it was the McKees Rocks VFD. Tonight- Tues March 28th 2023, with no prior warning to us or the residents of our Borough that a motion was being presented, let alone that a vote to de-certify was being taken - it was the Bellevue Volunteer Fire Department (Columbia Hose Hook and Ladder #1). Will it be the volunteers providing the fire service protection in YOUR town tomorrow???
Stay tuned. We’re not done. We love what we do and the people we do it with, and we’re damn good at it.
Thank you 💙
https://thecitizen.us/news/95484/bellevue-fires-volunteer-firefighters/?fbclid=IwAR3kqFElIalfjacTYWKirXEND9yxcX2ONaAVy1yk3drvm21dPzghcbAzt60&mibextid=Zxz2cZ
https://www.facebook.com/100063358636675/posts/650221150433167/?mibextid=cr9u03
