Levittown Fire Company plans family fun day, 5K

A local volunteer fire company is inviting the community to lace up their running shoes, meet firefighters and learn more about fire and emergency safety during its first 5K and family fun day Saturday, Sept. 19.

Levittown Fire Co. No. 2 will host the daylong event at its station at 6 County Way, beginning with the 5K at 10 a.m. Registration opens at 8:30 a.m., with the community activities continuing after the race. A pre-race packet pickup will be held at the firehouse Wednesday, Sept. 16, from 7 to 9 p.m.

Lt. Rick Darnley of Levittown Fire Co. No. 2, organizer of the event, said the idea grew out of a company meeting after a senior member suggested organizing a 5K after seeing the success of a similar event hosted by another Pennsylvania fire company.

“We started looking into this event and decided it was something that we could do not only as a fundraiser, but also to incorporate it into our fire prevention and community outreach program,” Darnley said.

The event is designed to be more than a fundraiser. Darnley said the fire company wants to give residents an opportunity to interact with firefighters, see the department’s equipment and learn about the resources available to protect the community.

The 5K will be professionally timed by Bryn Mawr Racing Co., with results available online. The race is expected to take about an hour and will include awards.

Organizers also wanted to make sure the event was accessible to people of different ages and abilities. In addition to the 5K, participants can choose a one-mile walk.

“Since this is a family event and we are trying to get the whole community involved, we want to make this open to everybody,” Darnley said.

The first year of the 5K is primarily about building participation and establishing the event as an annual community tradition, Darnley said. If the event generates proceeds beyond its expenses, the money will go toward equipment and safety needs for the fire company.

Immediately following the race, the Family Fun Day will offer residents a closer look at the work firefighters and emergency personnel perform.

One of the day’s highlights will be the arrival of an EMS helicopter, scheduled for approximately 1 p.m. Community members will be able to see the helicopter up close and speak with the pilot and medical staff about how it is used during serious emergencies.

Darnley said the helicopter provides an opportunity for residents to understand the resources available when someone needs more advanced medical care.

“For more severe conditions, this is a tool at our disposal that we can bring right to the scene and transport into the center city to some of the best medical teams in the world,” he said.

Firefighters also will demonstrate vehicle extrication techniques, showing how crews respond to crashes when people need to be removed from damaged vehicles. Equipment will be on display, including the “jaws of life,” the powerful hydraulic rescue tool used during vehicle extrications.

Other demonstrations will focus on everyday safety, including cooking fires. Firefighters will demonstrate how residents should respond to a grease fire on a stove.  

For children, the event will include a moon bounce, giveaways, plastic fire helmets and demonstrations geared toward younger residents. Darnley said one of the most important messages the department hopes to deliver is that firefighters are people children can turn to when they need help.

“The message we want to show kids is that firefighters are your friends,” he said. “We are here to help you. Do not be afraid of us; come up to us and ask questions.”

The day will also include music from The Seven Band, a cover band that performs many genres of music from classic rock to modern music. Food will be available from the firehouse and food trucks, in addition to vendors, raffle baskets, and a 50/50 drawing.

The event also serves another important purpose for the department: introducing more residents to volunteer firefighting.

Levittown Fire Co. No. 2 is a 100% volunteer firehouse with about 50 volunteers. Anyone interested in becoming a volunteer firefighter will be able to learn more and apply during the event.

For Darnley, who joined the company in February 2001, volunteering is a family tradition. His father remains an active member, and previous generations of his family also served.

He said the department has volunteers who have been members for more than 40 years, with multiple generations of some families serving together.

“We are one large family here,” Darnley said. “We do so much together and spend so much time together. Our kids have grown up together. It’s a very positive atmosphere.”

The fire company, which dates back to the 1950s, has operated from two previous locations and has been at its current County Way station since 1999.

Darnley said the response to the new event has been encouraging, with residents expressing interest in an event that combines fitness, family activities, fire prevention and an opportunity to meet the people behind the department’s emergency response.

Organizers expect between 300 and 500 people to attend.

Ultimately, Darnley said, the goal is to strengthen the relationship between the fire company and the people it serves.

“I think this will benefit the community by giving them a positive light on the local fire department by seeing what we do to protect and ensure their safety,” he said.

He hopes residents leave the event with a better understanding of the department and greater confidence that firefighters will be there when they are needed.

For more information, email Sta13.5K.LFC2@gmail.com. For additional information on Levittown Fire Co. No. 2, visit facebook.com/levittownfire2.

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