Lake Harmony and Albrightsville fire companies top winners at state firemen's convention

Kidder Township made a huge impression at the 130th annual Pennsylvania State Firemen's Convention and Parade held Sept. 26 at Kim of Prussia, suburban Philadelphia.

Albrightsville Fire Company, District 16; and Lake Harmony Fire Company (District 17) combined forces and participated as a fire department.

The local fire fighters worked for weeks preparing for the big event, which concluded with a massive parade. The parade had many marching units, bands and over 300 pieces of fire apparatus.

The accolades began on Friday at the Crown Plaza Hotel, which served as the convention headquarter, when Dan Plavin, a junior firefighter from Lake Harmony Fire Company was awarded the 2009 Hereda/Terrini Jr. Fire Fighter of the Year Award. Receiving this prestigious award was a moving ceremony, with Plavin's family and fellow fire fighters in attendance.

The culminating activity to the four-day event was the annual Firemen's Parade held on Saturday, through the streets of King of Prussia, which was viewed by thousands of spectators.

The fire companies entered numerous categories in which they would be judged, and were competing with the best of the best from throughout the state of Pennsylvania, and especially the suburban Philadelphia area.

At the end of the day, no other fire company or department was awarded as many trophies as the local fire fighters.

Albrightsville and Lake Harmony combined to win: Steve Lilick Best Hand Drawn Antique, Albrightsville; Best Fire Prevention, second place for their fire prevention trailer, Albrightsville; Best Engine, second place, for their Pierce Pumper, Lake Harmony; Best Aerial Ladder, first place for their Pierce 105 foot aerial; and the Crowning Jewel was winning first place for the Fire Department Marching with less than 35 members and music with at least 10 musicians.

"It was quite evident that the two local companies were a real crowd pleaser as there was constant applause from the viewers as the marchers strutted past the judges and on to victory," said R.C. Lennon, fire chief.

Albrightsville and Lake Harmony will be hosting the PSFA Convention and Parade in Kidder Township in September 2011, with the convention headquarters being at the Galleria at the Resort at Split Rock.