Members of the Honor Guard pose for a picture at a weekly training.

The Garrettford-Drexel Hill Volunteer Fire Company vs. the NBC10 News Team

The benefit will take place on June 26th, 2010 at Glen Mills High School's baseball field. Come out for the first pitch at 2pm.

*Bring your families & friends and join us for a Day of Fun
*Watch our softball game
*Take a chance in our silent auction - 50/50
*Take part in our between inning games
*Enjoy music provided by DJ Steve Castellano Jr.

Tickets are $10 a person. All children under 6 are FREE!! Each ticket enables you to a free hotdog and soda.

The Hero Scholarship is given out each year to a special person in Delaware County, who is a family member to a fallen Firefighter, Police Officer, or Emergency Medical Service personnel. Please help us help the family members of our Heroes.

Fire Departments, Police Departments, EMS Departments are requested to attend.

For Ticket Information please contact:

Steve Castellano Sr. - 610 842 5806
Vinny Procopio. - 610 937 0950
Larry Mellon Jr. - 484 390 2929

Or stop by the Garrettford-Drexel Hill Volunteer Fire Station to purchase tickets. Tickets will also be available at the front gate.

The members of the Fallen Fire and EMS Memorial Committee have been keeping busy with several projects.  A photo shoot was held at Rose Tree Park with members from several differant fire, ems, and police departments to support the annual "Run for Hero's" which is held in October stay tuned for more info to follow. The honor guard team has been established and are training several times a month and will be stepping forward with uniforms and other equipment.  On behalf of the Board of Directors we wish all our our emergency responders a safe summer.  If you have a few minutes to spare stop out to Rose Tree Park and see the memorials and reflect back on those who have paid the ultimate sacrifice. 

With this warmer weather upon us the Memorial Committee reached out to several station throughout the county to have members assist us with some spring cleaning.  Flowers were planted in all the flower pot, the walls and bricks were scrubbed and washed down, and all weeds were pulled.  We wish to Thank everyone who was able to stop out and assist us with taking on this project. 

The members of the Delaware Fallen Firefighters and EMS Memorial Committee wish a speedy recovery to Upper Providence Township Police and Brookhaven Fire Department member Chief Montella.  Chief Montella was injured earlier in the month while working with the Police Department in an mva.  During the Memorial building and dedication Chief Montella was a very big help and assisted us in making the Memorial Possible.  Chief from all of us we wish you best of luck and a speedy recovery.

The Delaware County Fallen Firefighter and EMS Memorial Committee will join forces with The Toxic Fire 0f 1978 Committee for a fundraiser to be held at Bootleggers of Ridley on May 8th 2010 from 5pm-8pm.  The fundraiser is planned to raise money to build the memorial at the site of the fire in the City of Chester.   To purchase tickets or make a donation, contact Bill Richard at 610-636-8296 or go online to www.thetoxicfireof1978.com.
 

Special Thanks to Choice Marketing for donating the tickets and posters.

A brief history of the Toxic Fire of 1978

On February 2, 1978, a cataclysmic fire erupted at 1 Flower Street in the City of Chester, PA. What was originally thought by the first responding crews to be a fire at a rubber reclaiming operation was soon revealed to be one of the most disastrous surreptitious chemical fires in United States history in which 3 million gallons of toxic waste from 49 separate companies was haphazardly and secretly dumped.

In fact, the seed for the EPA Superfund program came from what was to become known as the “Wade Dump Fire”. Even today, emergency responders from that fire are dealing with tragic illnesses including rare cancers and blood disorders that continue to linger.Many others have died from these and other illnesses believed to be a result of
this fire.

Memorial at Site of Fire
An area at Front & Flower Streets, the site of the Toxic Fire of 1978, has been set aside for the placement of a memorial. Working in cooperation with the Delaware County Fallen Firefighters and EMS Memorial and the City of Chester, the TF78 group strives to make this memorial a reflection of the gift of courage and dedication these responders gave our community as well as a tribute and honor to those that have died.
The TF78 Memorial Foundation will continue to cooperate with the City of Chester to oversee the
sustained upkeep of the memorial placed at Front & Flower. The foundation also will be tasked with the
planning of annual ceremonies and outreach to families of victims.

The 34th annual Delco Hero Bowl is planned for Thursday June 3rd at Widener University's Leslie C. Quick Stadium.  By now every station should have received a packet from the Delaware County Hero Scholarship Fund “Hero Bowl Committee”. 
The Hero Scholarship Fund is here to benefit us all but is sometimes forgotten.  Through the years, many of the companies around the county have suffered catastrophic losses and the Hero Scholarship Fund has been there along the way.  It is very important for us all to support the Fund and its annual events and not just the responsibility of its benefactors. 
We should all do our best to purchase or sell the tickets that were sent to you, some companies even purchase the tickets and then give them to local youth groups, hoping the event instills interest in the youth around the county in both sport and emergency service activities.  Another way to show your support and your companies support would be to purchase space in the annual Hero Bowl Ad Book.  Your ads not only help in the fundraising but it shows support in what they are doing for all of us. We hope to see all Delco Emergency Responders at this Great Event.  More info can be found at 

http://www.delcoherofund.org



 

THANK YOU IN ADVANCE FOR YOUR SUPPORT

“The Delaware County Fallen Firefighter & EMS Memorial Committee would like to wish everyone a Happy Holiday Season, and a Safe and Joyous New Year.” 
 
Plans are in the works for lots of progress and growth in 2010 so please stay tuned.
 
The Members of the Memorial Committee…

This coming Sunday, the Delaware County Fallen Firefighter & EMS Memorial Committee will be hosting a Social from 3pm to 8:30pm.
The location will be the Barnaby’s of Ridley on Mac Dade Blvd.  The Eagles Game will be on several Large Screen TVs in each room.
Cost is only $10.00 and includes Beer, Wine, Soda, and Buffet (18 to enter 21 to Drink!)
 
Come celebrate the 1 year anniversary of the Memorial and listen to some of our future plans.
 
Information will be on hand for the following:
                -The Delaware County Fallen Firefighter & EMS Memorial Honor Guard
                -Competitions
                -Wills for Heroes
                -Future Education/Training Programs
                -Health Insurance for Volunteer firefighters & EMS Personnel
                -Delco Chamber of Commerce
                -Crozer Gun Lock Grant Program
                -Vendors
               
 Come and stay for a little or a while, we would love to see all of you!
 
Please feel free to post, email or call (610-656-5276) with any questions.
 
 
The Memorial Committee

A wreath laying and memorial service will be held honoring the sacrifice and memory of Delaware County’s Fallen Fire Fighters, Emergency Medical Providers and Law Enforcement Officers on Friday, September 11, 2009 at 11:00am. The service will be held at the Fallen Fire Fighters & EMS Memorial and the Law Enforcement Memorial located at Rose Tree Park in Media.

Additionally, a memorial monument for the Victims of September 11, 2001, will be dedicated during this year’s ceremony. Mr. Dave Schratwieser, from FOX 29 News, will join District Attorney G. Michael Green and County Council Vice Chairmen John Whelan in offering his reflections on the dedication of Delaware County’s Public Servants and in remembrance of those who lost their lives on September 11, 2001.

County Residents and Members of Delaware County’s Emergency Services are invited to attend the ceremony. Members of Delaware County’s Emergency Service are asked to attend in uniform and arrive by 10:30am.

For additional information please contact: 

Law Enforcement Agencies: William Clark 610 544-6212

Fire and EMS Agencies: Richard Heffernan 610-656-5276

We are happy to report that all of the pavers that were ordered and not installed prior to the memorial dedication have now been installed.  Crews from Del Vacchio spent a full week removing the black bricks and installing the 300+ new engraved pavers.  The Delco Fallen Fire and EMS Memorial Committee would like to thank Vince Del Vacchio owner of Del Vacchio for his assistance in installing our pavers and taking such great pride in seeing our job through.

The members of the Fallen Fire and Ems Memorial Committee as well as the Delco Fallen Law Enforcement would like to thank everyone who attended as well as supported our joint fundraiser.  The event was a great success and we hope it  to become an annual event.  Thanks Again to all of our sponsors who helped make the event a great one. 

A few more of the raffle prizes for the benefit have been announced they are $200 in PA Lottery Scratch Off Cards, a 46” TV, a 50” TV, time at a shore house in Avalon (off season), multiple tickets to several Phillies Games, tickets to several other sporting events including PENN STATE, Villanova, and the Blue Rocks to name a few.  So far we have 4somes for the following golf courses Springfield, Merion, Paxon Hollow, and Strath Haven.

Get your tickets and come out to support a great cause.

Just released from tonight’s fundraising committee meeting, PLEASE pass on to everyone in your organization!
Your $20.00 ticket will now qualify you for entrance to the benefit, food & beer, and now a chance at part of a $3,000.00 CASH Stimulus Prize!  Stimulus prizes will be drawn from the numbers on the tickets torn and submitted at the Benefit.  1st Prize = $1500.00, 2nd Prize = $1000.00, and 3rd Prize = $500.00. 
 
Some of the prizes donated to the benefit so far for the Auction include 2 “BIG SCREEN TVS”, Phillies Tickets, Eagles Tickets, Sporting Memorabilia, and more.
There will be a CASH Bar available for those who prefer mixed drinks.  Tickets are still available and can be obtained by email or call 610-723-1798!!
 
Hope to see you all there!