I went to the Williamsport Bureau of Fire and spoke to Platoon Chief Hurne. Chief Hurne has a family tradition of growing up around firefighters; his Grandparents worked in the fire service. Of his 30 years of firefighting experience, he worked for the city for 17 of those.

“I like helping people, like making a difference, and educating people on fire safety,” Hurne said. As a platoon chief he has 6 guys he’s in charge of. “But you’re always a firefighter no matter what rank you are,” Hurne said. “We are all there for the same job and want the same outcome.” That goal brings the group together. When there’s a personal situation everyone comes together to form a brotherhood.

There are many steps to becoming a certified firefighter including written tests, physical exams, background checks, athletic challenges, vehicle tests and certifications, and a 13 week course, Hurne said. It takes a lot of determination to get where they need to be. All of this brings each other closer because they all want one another to succeed.

Hearing about their brotherhood made me want to provide them with meals they can share, especially because they cook their own meals. They work on a schedule where they each take turns cooking meals. I wanted to help them by giving them pre-made food from Wegman’s so they wouldn’t have to cook for a few days. I will be providing them the food this week. It was nice for me to learn more about what they do and how much they do. I was glad to see something different in our community. We need to appreciate firefighters more because they help our community out a lot and save a lot of lives. They are very passionate about their job and step in when people are faced with a lot of challenges.