The Polish American Fire Company No. 4 of Shenandoah will celebrate the centennial of the founding of the fire company next week.
Members of the first and only Polish-American fire company in the country have planned a week-long celebration beginning Aug. 30 and just two weeks after hosting the 61st annual Schuylkill County Volunteer Firefighters Convention.
"The Polish American has been community-minded and in community service for 100 years," fire company President John Lorah said. "It was started, believe it or not, by a group of Polanders in 1915. They had come up with the idea of joining a fire company and they couldn't get in anywhere because back then it was all ethnic, including this fire company until 1978. If you weren't of Polish or Lithuanian descent, you didn't get in."
Lorah said the idea of forming an ethnic Polish fire company came from someone with another ethnic background.
"It was an Irishman who told them, 'Go for it. If that's what you want to do, if you guys want to join a fire company, start your own fire company,' " Lorah said.
He said they had a lot of help back then from the Phoenix Fire Company No. 2, Shenandoah. The Phoenix loaned the company their first hand-drawn hose cart that they pulled along the streets. The Phoenix gave them some of the first equipment that they had.
"It was on loan, but they provided it and it got them going, and we've been moving ahead ever since. We just keep moving forward, he said."
Lorah said the ranks of firefighters continue to serve, including the junior firefighters.
"We only have three right now. At one time we had five. They come and go. They get older. We've had three of them move into the ranks of active firefighters from the juniors," Lorah said. "We have female members now. Back 20 to 30 years ago, that was unheard of. It wasn't even thought about having female members."
Lorah said the company's newest truck - a Seagraves 1,500-gallon pumper/tanker - was partially funded with a grant from Homeland Security back in 2007. He also said there has been a lot of remodeling in the building thanks to two state grants.
"If it wasn't for the state and Homeland Security grants, we would up a creek without a paddle, so to speak, because that's what helps us buy a lot of our turnout gear, new pagers, remodel some of the building, so instead of worrying where we're going to get the money to keep the building heated, we were able to get new insulated windows and doors. This way we can put our efforts into raising funds to purchase new equipment that we might need," he said.
The fire company website (www.polishamericanfireco.org) has a detailed history since the first men of Polish descent began thinking of something unique. Here is some of the history:
"On a bitter winter night in 1914, several young Shenandoah men of the Polish origin, watched in awe and envy as the Shenandoah fire companies, one motorized apparatus and the rest horse-drawn vehicles swept up or down Main Street in answer to a fire alarm. One of the group - no one remembers just who - said, 'Gee, fellows, let's be volunteer firemen, let's join a company and help others as these men are doing.'
"All agreed it was a good idea, so the proper application forms were submitted to a fire company in the borough. Although the young men were qualified mentally and physically, hard workers, willing to give their all for the fire company of their choice, they were denied membership.
"It is hard to realize this in the year of 2015. Especially in Shenandoah with its many ethnic groups all working together, that these young men, who later fought overseas under the flag of their country, were denied membership, simply and purely because they were of Polish extraction. But they were.
"Several days later, these individuals, with their other friends of Polish origin, were bemoaning their fate in a South Main Street tavern. A tavern, incidentally, located in the Polish section of Shenandoah, but owned and operated by an Irishman, Pat Maher, who was a friend to all men, regardless of national origin, religion, class of work or standing in the community.
"After listening to his friends describe the shabby treatment they received for several hours the Irishman said, 'Well, boys, why don't you stop talking about it and do something - form your own fire company.'
"The idea caught on like fire and spread throughout the Polish section of the community. After several informal meetings were held at St. Stanislaus Parochial School, the Polish American Fire Company was born and received its charter thanks to the efforts, assistance and guidance of the Rev. L.A. Stachowicz, who was pastor of St. Stanislaus Roman Catholic Church and Edward J. Burke, who was an officer of the Phoenix Fire Company.
"The charter was granted by the Court of Common Pleas for the County of Schuylkill, Pennsylvania, on the 13th day of May 1915. The newly formed fire company continued to meet in St. Stanislaus Parochial School and, in December 1915, the members voted to rent or purchase a suitable building, but the action was held in abeyance because of a threatened coal strike.
"On Jan. 26, 1916, the company moved its quarters to the Muldoon property at 10 N. West St., where firefighting equipment was borrowed from the Phoenix Fire Company, including a hose cart drawn by hand. In the latter part of 1916, the company again moved its quarters to 229-231 S. Main St. (Ceresota Building) and the company remained there for the next four to five years. Members loaned the company money to purchase a new American LaFrance fire engine ("Old Bertha").
"After many fundraising projects to pay the members, the company turned their thoughts and efforts to a permanent building of their own and it was unanimously voted to borrow $50,000 for this purpose. The construction of this building began in 1921, and one year later the company headquarters was moved to the new location 115-117 W. Centre St., where we are at the present time.
"From that time and up to the year 1946, it was a struggle to raise money to pay on the interest and mortgage, the company was hindered by coal strikes, the Great Depression and World War II. It was really an effort and sacrifice on the part of the members to keep the company afloat during the 1920s, 1930s and the early 1940s.
"The first mortgage was held by the Citizens National Bank of Shenandoah, and by 1933 we still owed $10,000. In March 1933, the federal government closed all banks. Our region was in the mist of the Great Depression and it was very rough to raise money. But through the efforts of a member of the company who made a few trips to Washington, D.C., we were successful in getting the mortgage reduced to $6,000. This was then backed by John J. Miller of Shenandoah until it was down to $4,000. The mortgage was then picked up by the Shenandoah Firemen's Relief Association at a reduced rate of interest. The last mortgage was paid off in 1946 and we were cleared of all debts.
"After World War II and after the Vietnam War our membership increased considerably and the fire company really started to move forward. An active membership sponsored many fundraising projects to raise funds to purchase new uniforms in 1948 and 1977. The company took part in many parades and was considered one of the best marching units in the state. Many best appearing trophies are on display in the social room and meeting room from Schuylkill County and the Six-County associations. Also hundreds of dollars were won at Four-County and state conventions.
"Many fundraising projects followed after this, but the most successful ones were the block parties or bazaars which were held annually beginning in the early 1950s and discontinued in 1960, and restarted in 1976 and are still going strong.
"The outside of the original building was remodeled in 1975. In 1976, a Schuylkill-Carbon Area Manpower (SCAM) team completely remodeled the interior of the original building in time for the bicentennial celebration of the United States. In 1970, a special building fund raffle was started and held annually until 1981. The money from the raffle and bazaars was used to finance the addition to the existing building. The ground breaking was held in late April 1979. Twenty members donated their building trade skills to complete the interior of the building, thus saving the company thousands of dollars. The mortgage was burnt on Saturday, Oct. 10, 1981 at the 20th annual awards banquet.
"Organized by a few members in 1915, today after 100 years we have more than 150 active members, including three active female firefighters with the first who was voted into the company in 2004. We now have a newly painted and renovated three-story building and two-story building addition at Centre and West streets. The buildings have a spacious meeting room, recreation and physical fitness room, two truck rooms that could house two trucks each, and a newly remodeled grille room.
"At the base of the Statue of Liberty is an inscription which reads in part: 'I stand beside the golden door, give me your poor, your homeless and your distressed.'
"We in the Polish American Fire Company of Shenandoah, in the Year of the Lord, 2015, could well repeat in essence these words to the small group of Polish men who in 1914 would not be denied their right to be volunteer firemen and aid their community.
"To the memory of these men and the many others who saw the fire company through its struggling years, especially the 1914 to 1946 era, we say, 'THANK YOU, truly by your example, you have shown us the way, you lighted and kept the torch burning and we humbly pray that we may be worthy to keep the torch burning, the fire company growing in the next half century, as you did before us.'
"There are no statues erected in memory of the young group of Polish men who had an idea and desire in 1914, which culminated in the founding of this fire company in 1915, as there is to that great Polish patriot, Gen. Casimir Pulaski.
"We are the first and only Polish American Fire Company in the United States and their memory will always live in us."
Lorah said an opening awards banquet will be held Aug. 30, where they will honor members and a lot of the fire companies in the area, from whom we received a lot of help.
The fire company will have some "members only" events during that week, with some events for the public, including a free concert by the Upper Schuylkill Marching Band on Sept. 1, an Anniversary Bash on Sept. 3 with the band Tazen Bender, and a Firefighters Appreciation Day on Sept. 5.
"On Sept. 5, we'll have the appreciation day for all the firemen in the northern part of the county and all the help they've given us through the years," Lorah said. "We'll show our appreciation to them. "