Pleasant Unity Volunteer Fire Department
Celebrating 90 Years of
Service
The Pleasant Unity VFD
was organized in 1917
shortly after the "big
fire" that
destroyed more than a dozen
buildings in
both a residential and
business district
of the town. The fire started
in the Novis
Clothing store on Church
Street and consumed
2 bakeries, a barber shop,
butcher shop,
hardware store, grocery
store, warehouse,
odd fellow building, jewelry
store and the
PU branch of the Red Cross.
The fire was
stopped 4 hours later by
miners who used
dynamite to blow up a house
which stopped
the blaze from spreading
further. 12 families
were left homeless and
another 7 homes were
made uninhabitable by the
fire. Extinguishers
brought from Latrobe were
no match for the
fire and a chemical truck
sent from Greensburg
broke down on its way.
Today the 90 year old department
provides
fire and rescue service
throughout the region
with state of the art equipment.
PUVFD is
the primary responder for
the Unity Township
areas of Pleasant Unity,
Jamison, Shantytown,
Lycippus, Humphreys, Frogtown,
Possum Hollow,
and the Arnold Palmer Regional
Airport including
the new Westmoreland County
Air Park. The
department also provides
rescue services
for the airport and Latrobe
Speedway.
The PUVFD moved into its
current 3 truck
bay station on Volunteer
Drive in 1985 after
outgrowing the former garage
built in 1949
which was located on Main
Street. The current
fire equipment includes
a 1999 Ferrara Rescue
Pumper Combination Unit
and a 1999 Ford 4-WD
Utility Brush Truck. Also
in station is a
2004 Emergency One 95 foot
tower ladder owned
by Unity Township Fire
Bureau and operated
by PUVFD.
The members of the department
are in the
initial stages of planning
an Open House
and Community Picnic on
Saturday, August
11, 2007. The daylong event
will include
an open house of the fire
station and fire
equipment, demonstrations
of fire and rescue
equipment, children's activities
and games,
a display of PUVFD historical
photos and
memorabilia, a covered
dish community picnic
and a few other items of
interest that have
yet to be confirmed. All
events are planned
to be held outdoors behind
the station on
John George Street. A more
detailed itinerary
of events for the day will
be announced as
we get closer to the day
of the event.
The members are also trying to obtain copies
of as many historical articles and photographs
of the fire department. They are specifically
looking for photos and articles to determine
the dates of service of the first two chiefs
of the department. The first fire chief was
John M. Bash when the department was organized
in 1917 and the second chief was Joseph J.
Hutter who served his last year leading the
department in 1938. The members are looking
for information to find out when Bash finished
as chief and Hutter began as chief.
Anyone who has photographs, articles or personal
knowledge is asked to please contact John Bacha at 724-423-2566.
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Don't Forget to Change the Batteries in your
Smoke Alarm!
Twice a Year!
1. When Daylight Savings Starts - Change Your Clock and the Batteries in
your Smoke Alarm
2. When Daylight Savings Ends
- Change Your Clock and the Batteries in
your Smoke Alarm
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