Kansas Fire honors volunteers - Tuesday, December 08, 2009 | Fostoria Review Times

Local News

Tuesday, December 08, 2009

Kansas Fire honors volunteers

By MARIAH MERCER

FEATURES WRITER

Kansas Fire and Rescue marked nearly 100 years of service by three volunteers at its annual firefighter's Christmas dinner Saturday. Brothers Florian Podach and Carl Podach, both of Fostoria, and Terry Wellington of Kansas each have dedicated 30 years to firefighting.

"For the past 30 years, these guys have voluntarily gotten up and gone on emergency calls to either put out house fires or provide first aid or assist anyone in the Kansas Fire District," said Robert Dible, Kansas Fire and Rescue chief. "Being a volunteer, sometimes they get up in the wee hours of the morning, do two to three hours of duty and go to work. These three gentleman have done that -- and been very much involved -- for the past 30 years."

With about 30 active volunteers on the roster, Kansas Fire and Rescue provides service for Kansas and townships in Seneca and Sandusky counties. In 2008, the force responded to 144 calls and this year they've hit about 130, or about 10 to 15 times per month, according to Dible.

"Somebody's got to do it -- it's a community service. Some people join other organizations, but the fire department is a community organization and what better place to volunteer," said Carl, who owned several small businesses in Fostoria, including a laundromat and ice cream parlor.

Kansas Fire and Rescue has two stations, one in Kansas and a second near the Fostoria Airport. It was after that addition the Podach brothers joined the force. The original volunteers didn't just fight fires, they helped build the station.

"They wanted to put a new station down there and needed people to start it. We wired it, plumbed it, did all the work there," said Carl.

"It's just been a good experience all along," said Florian, who managed Podach Mobile Estates on Jackson TR 63, "across the road" from the station. Florian said the fire chief at the time came over and asked if he would consider joining up.

"(I volunteered) because it might have been my house sometimes," said Wellington. He spent six years in the U.S. Navy and had six weeks of intense fire training during that time. He worked at Autolite, where he also served on the fire brigade.

All three cited the improvements in equipment, such as the regular use of air tanks and breathing apparatus, as the biggest change since they joined up.

"We've come a long ways since I first got on the department," said Wellington, who retired last month.

The brothers are still active, though they don't go on every call. Florian doesn't head out on EMS calls any more and Carl said he doesn't go into fires.

Dible said the trio's longtime commitment to volunteering their time is unique.

"It's pretty uncommon. Our biggest problem for longtime volunteers is finding people that have time to offer. The state requires 18 hours per year training plus first responder training five hours per year. It's hard to find people who can dedicate time for runs plus additional training -- plus a job situation that lets them. We've been lucky to have these guys and have them for so long," said Dible.

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Fostoria Review Times

Local News

Tuesday, December 08, 2009

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