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| Hershey Volunteer Fire Company | |
|---|---|
| Name | Hershey Volunteer Fire Company |
| Established | 19th century |
| Location | Hershey, Pennsylvania, United States |
| Service area | Hershey, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania |
| Annual calls | (varies) |
| Employees | Volunteer firefighters |
| Stations | Multiple |
| Apparatus | Engines, tankers, ladders, rescue units, EMS support |
Hershey Volunteer Fire Company is a volunteer fire and emergency services organization serving the community of Hershey, Pennsylvania, and surrounding areas in Dauphin County. Founded in the 19th century, the company has evolved alongside regional institutions, industrial developments, and municipal services to provide fire suppression, technical rescue, hazardous materials response, and emergency medical support. The company maintains mutual-aid relationships with neighboring departments and participates in countywide and state-level emergency planning.
The company's origins trace to the era of industrial expansion associated with Milton S. Hershey and the growth of the Hershey community near Derry Township, Pennsylvania, the Hershey Chocolate Corporation facilities, and the Pennsylvania railroad network. Early volunteers responded to barn fires, railway incidents on the Pennsylvania Railroad, and industrial incidents linked to confectionery operations. Through the 20th century the company adapted to technological changes introduced by the Automobile Club era and World War II civil defense initiatives influenced by federal programs and state civil preparedness organizations. Postwar suburbanization and the expansion of Dauphin County infrastructure prompted formalization of training standards aligned with the Pennsylvania State Fire Academy and regional mutual-aid compacts. In the late 20th and early 21st centuries the company integrated modern apparatus, incident command practices inspired by the National Incident Management System, and interoperability efforts with agencies such as the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency.
The organization is structured with elected volunteer leadership including a chief officer cadre, company officers, and committee chairs overseeing operations, training, and administration. Staffing is predominantly volunteer, recruiting from residents of Hershey, Palmyra, Pennsylvania, and adjacent communities within Dauphin County. Membership categories typically include line firefighters, EMS-certified responders, probationary members, and life members. The company coordinates with municipal officials in Derry Township, Pennsylvania and collaborates with county emergency management and regional fire chiefs from neighboring departments such as Hummelstown Fire Company and Palmyra Area Fire Department. Administrative functions interface with local boards and regional associations including the Pennsylvania Fire & Emergency Services Institute and the Pennsylvania State Association of Township Supervisors for funding, grants, and compliance matters.
The company operates multiple fire stations strategically located to serve residential, commercial, and industrial zones including the employment centers near Hersheypark and the Hershey Medical Center campus. Apparatus inventory typically comprises engine companies, tanker/pumper units, a ladder or aerial platform, a rescue unit configured for vehicle extrication and technical rescue, and EMS support vehicles. Apparatus procurement and maintenance have involved coordination with manufacturers and vendors common to the fire service sector and compliance with standards from organizations such as the National Fire Protection Association and the Underwriters Laboratories. Station facilities also support community events and staging for large-scale incidents tied to attractions like Hersheypark Stadium and regional sports venues.
Operationally, the company provides fire suppression, structure protection, wildland interface response, vehicle extrication, confined-space and trench rescue, water rescue, and hazardous materials first-response. Many volunteers are cross-trained for basic and advanced life support and coordinate with ambulance services and hospital emergency departments including Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center. The company participates in mutual-aid strike teams for incidents requiring expanded resources, interoperating with county communications systems and statewide radio plans such as those promulgated by Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency. Routine operations include fire prevention inspections, fire cause investigation support, and coordinated incident command during multi-agency responses involving Dauphin County Emergency Services and law enforcement partners like the Dauphin County Sheriff's Office.
Training programs emphasize firefighter safety, driver/operator certification, incident command, hazardous materials awareness, and emergency medical certification through collaborations with the Pennsylvania State Fire Academy, regional training consortia, and local colleges. Joint exercises are conducted with partners including Pennsylvania State Police and nearby municipal departments to rehearse mass-casualty and large-venue scenarios tied to attractions such as Hersheypark and events at GIANT Center. Community outreach includes public fire-safety education in schools within the Derry Township School District, smoke alarm and carbon monoxide campaigns, station open houses, and participation in civic events organized by entities like the Derry Township Municipal Authority and local chambers of commerce. Volunteer recruitment efforts target veterans, professionals, and students from nearby institutions such as Penn State Harrisburg.
Notable incidents in the company’s history include responses to large industrial fires affecting confectionery operations near the original factory complex associated with Milton S. Hershey, multi-alarm structure fires in commercial corridors near Chocolate Avenue, major roadway incidents on U.S. Route 322 and Interstate 83 requiring technical rescue, and mutual-aid deployments during regional flooding events tied to the Susquehanna River watershed. The company has been involved in multi-agency responses to emergencies at venues including Hersheypark Stadium and the GIANT Center, working alongside state and federal entities during large public-safety events.
The company and individual members have received recognition from county and state bodies, including commendations from the Dauphin County Commissioners, awards from the Pennsylvania State Firemen's Association, and community service honors conferred by local civic organizations and business groups such as the Hershey Harrisburg Regional Visitors Bureau. These accolades reflect long-term commitment to public safety, volunteerism, and interagency cooperation in the greater Hershey and Dauphin County region.
Category:Fire departments in Pennsylvania Category:Dauphin County, Pennsylvania