Crime & Safety

Home Is Where Their Helmets Are

A new program at the Gladwyne Fire Co. has volunteers living at the fire house.

In August the Gladwyne Fire Co. established what they say is a progressive program to help better serve the community.

The live-in program allows three volunteers to live, full-time and rent-free, in the fire house. Although there is always a paid staff member staying there, having more people to help in the house and be closer for emergency calls allows the company to be better prepared for emergencies.

There's not a lot of affordable and available housing in Gladwyne for the volunteers, said chief Blaine Leis. As it is, the fire company owns the one apartment building in the village, and those units are already rented at a discounted price to volunteers.

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Related: Meet the Gladwyne Fire Chief

The live-ins commit to a year. In its pilot year, the program is housing two people who were already volunteers and one new volunteer. Two are students and one works a full-time job.

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"It has been a wonderful program for us," Leis said. "They're here to help us, and we're here to help them."

The Gladwyne fire house has always been an open and inviting place, he said. Volunteers hang out there, wash their cars and generally help each other with other personal projects.

"We encourage our people to be here hanging out," he said.

To learn more about the live-in program click here.


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