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Po-Mar-Lin
Fire Company
Po-Mar-Lin
has grown a lot in the past few years. It is hard to believe
it started off as an idea in the back of someone's mind in
1949. It has a very interesting history of new technology,
bigger buildings and advances in manpower. With only one in-service
death, Po-Mar-Lin has been very lucky and generous with their
donations of service to our communities.
The
beginning of Po-Mar-Lin started in the fall of 1949. The farmers
of Unionville came together and decided that they needed a
fire company. Nearby Kennett had already had one so Unionville
decided they needed one also. The ground for the company was
purchased in 1951. The first engine was purchased at the same
time and was housed in different garages until the firehouse
was finished in 1955. Then, much needed improvements were
added in 1968 with a new kitchen and a banquet hall. A newer
and larger building is scheduled to be completed in late 2001.
Technology
is one of the things that this company uses. The first piece
of equipment was was a Hauhn pumper, which was used when they
aquired it. Later it was replaced by a thirteen-year-old GMC
pumper. In 1955 they hit the jackpot with a new garage to house
their newly purchased 1500-gallon ITT (International Tank Truck).
The following year they recieved a four-wheel jeep to fight
forest fires when a large truck could not reach those areas.
In 1964 a John Bean pumper, equipped with various new gadgets,
replaced the twenty-two year old GMC.
The last technology
piece concerned only trucks. This technology piece concerns
devices. Po-Mar-Lin has many upgrades on the equipment they
have. The technology of Po-Mar-Lin has had many upgrades on
the equipment. The technology Po-Mar-Lin has is very useful
for fighting fires. For one, heat seekers. These hand held devices
are used so fire fighters can detect fires behind walls and
distinguish life forms. Then there are the ever faithful Jaws
of Life. They are useful for ripping open cars and moving the
steering column to rescue a trapped person inside. Models of
the Jaws of Life vary from a hand held pneumatic system to a
larger kind that has to be fitted to the back of a truck, and
then we have the suits themselves. They are made of a heavy
material that is fire proof and cool. That brings us to the
last item of technology that has been used since the beginning
of the Fire Company, the Ax. The Ax has been used for chopping
through jammed doors and breaking out windows for various reasons.
The Ax has always been used and always will.
Po-Mar-Lin could
not survive without the Ladies Auxiliary. They have made everything
possible by contributing over 71,000 dollars to the company.
Through their bake sales and horse shows they have helped Po-Mar-Lin
grow. In conclusion, Po-Mar-Lin has grown a lot. There is evidence
of it through technology and history, and we must say that Po-Mar-Lin
will be here for a long time.
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