SCHUYLKILL HAVEN - As Mark Whildin, 33, of Coaldale, walked past rows and rows of parade-ready fire trucks Saturday afternoon, his daughter, Lena, 7, followed him, wearing his fire helmet.
"She always wears it. I think she's going to be a firefighter when she grows up," Whildin said.
The sights and sounds at the 110th annual Six-County Firemen's Convention Parade would have won over every child at heart.
There were more than 100 fire trucks, plus antique hose carts, horse-drawn carriages and marching bands, like Pine Grove Band which tooted out patriotic favorites like "Flag of Humanity" and "Anchors Aweigh."
The parade, which lasted two and a half hours, featured 125 fire apparatus, and three marching units, three bands and two floats. It was a sunny day, which encouraged more than 2,000 to come out for the celebration, according to Chad Hasenauer, chief engineer of Schuylkill Hose Company No. 2 and parade chairman.
"It was very good. It was a long few months and a busy few days. Everyone's exhausted, but it was an honor," said Hasenauer, 31.
Prior to the parade, the fire apparatus was judged by The Officers Club at Penn State Schuylkill. There were 87 awards.
The top honor was "The Carl C. Feger Jr. Memorial Award/Best Overall Fire Service Award" which went to Hose, Hook & Ladder Fire Company No. 1, Pine Grove.
Feger, who died Dec. 18, 2004, was fire chief of the Borough of Schuylkill Haven from 1969 to 1981. He was a member of Schuylkill Hose Company No. 2 from 1947 until his death at age 85, according to his obituary.
"This was our way to honor him. We started offering an award like this in 2000 at the Schuylkill County Fire Convention, an award in honor of a great person who has put forth of their life and time in the fire service," Hasenauer said.
Dave Sattizahn, chief of the Pine Grove Hose, Hook & Ladder company, said he knew Feger and was honored his company was given the award.
"There was a lot of good competition there between Mahanoy City and Hazle Township and us and it was an outstanding award to win. I knew Carl. He brought a good reputation and a lot of pride to the fire service," Sattizahn said.
The award is a 4-foot tall trophy made out of coal, Sattizahn said.
The other two top awards and the recipients were:
- Best Overall Company (an award given to one company with two or more pieces of apparatus): Citizens Fire Company No. 2 and Mahanoy City EMS, Mahanoy City.
- Best Appearing and Most Functional Department (an award given to a department, which is made up of multiple companies): Tamaqua Fire Department, which was represented by East End Fire Company and South Ward Fire Company.
Firefighters enjoyed Saturday's parade for a number of reasons.
"It's an honor to march. It gives volunteers a chance to show pride in their apparatus. They work hard at it. They have to be well kept and maintained. And every once in a while, they like to shine them up and bring them to a parade," said John J. Rogers, vice president of Citizens Fire Company No. 2 and Mahanoy City EMS, Mahanoy City.
While the Citizens Fire Company brought out trucks, including a 2003 Pierce Lance engine, they also brought out an antique, a 1814 hand-drawn hose cart nicknamed "Little Daisy."
"The Six-County parade is, like, 'the' parade to be in. This is one of the big ones and this is where all the members of Six-County can come down and get a chance to show their rigs and be judged," said Brian Ginck, a captain with Northumberland Fire Co. No. 1, Northumberland County.
Among the rigs they brought down was a 2001 E-One aerial truck and a 2012 Pierce-model engine.
"I like events like this. You get to see a lot of your brother firefighters. It's a good opportunity to get together and have fun," said John Wilhelm, a second lieutenant with East End Fire Company, Coal Township, Northumberland County.
One of the trucks the Coal Township firefighters drove in the parade was Engine 121, a GMC model dubbed "The Purple Demon."
"There are only two trucks in the state that are this color. The other is out in Pittsburgh," Wilhelm said.
"It's cool to see what kind of set up people have. And today, the weather's beautiful," Whildin said.
The route was 1.7 miles long. It started at the gate of the Schuylkill Haven Area School District property and Paxson Avenue. It ended at the hose company at 51 S. St. Peter St.
Following the parade, there was an awards ceremony and festivities at the hose company.
The Six County Firemen's Association includes Columbia, Lackawanna, Luzerne, Schuylkill, Montour and Northumberland counties. For more information on the 110th fire convention, visit schuylkillhose.com.
Looking ahead, Rogers said Citizens Fire Company and Mahanoy City EMS will host the 59th Schuylkill County Firefighters Convention from Aug. 18 to 24, Rogers said.