This Month Around the Fire House

Profile Of The Month - Charles Wiley

Firefighter Grant Keeps Station Air Clean

This Month Around the Fire House

In MONTH the Fort Washington Fire Company responded to:
    38 Alarms
    Averaging 18.5 responders per call
    Totaling 294 responder hours

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Each month we profile one of the many Volunteers that make up the Fort Washington Fire Company. This month we are highlighting Charles Wiley

Meet Charles “Junie” Wiley

Charles “Junie” Wiley was born September 10, 1928 in Abington.  He spent the first years of his life growing up in the North Hills section of Upper Dublin before his parents relocated to a house at the base of Montgomery Avenue in Fort Washington, near what is now the present-day Boden Place.  Charles attended the Fort Washington School in the 300 block of Madison Avenue until he witnessed it burn down to the stone walls when he was in approximately fourth grade.

Charles’ mother, Lillian Wiley, joined the Fort Washington Fire Company Ladies Auxiliary shortly after they moved into the neighborhood.  As a child, Junie recalls selling tickets door-to-door for the highly attended card parties that were held by the Ladies Auxiliary.  Additionally, Charles vividly remembers the Fire Company Carnivals that were held in a typically muddy field adjacent to the Kelly’s Atlantic Gas Station on Bethlehem Pike where the Volvo dealership now stands.

By growing up in the neighborhood and attending carnivals and fire company functions with his mother, Junie had developed an interest in the fire company.  As soon as he was of age, he and his good friend Richard “Buddy” Roberts joined as junior firefighters in 1945.  Junie ran actively for the next several years as he attended Ambler High School on Tennis Avenue.

In 1951 Junie married “the girl next door”, Annamay.  That same year Charles began a two year stint in the Army, assigned to the Army Ordinance division, where he taught the skill of ammo handling at Fort Bragg in North Carolina.  Upon returning home to Fort Washington, he began construction on a house for he and Annamay.  Junie completed his house at 423 Summit Avenue and lived there for a number of years before moving to Spring Avenue.  All the while, Junie was an active member of the fire company, serving as the 1st Assistant Engineer for years.

Following his service in the Army, Junie attended the Ogontz Center for metallurgy and tool & dye making.  Junie was hired as a maintenance and repair technician at the Standard Press Steel Company, where he worked for forty years until he retired in 1992.

While Junie ran a plethora of calls during his tenure as a firefighter and engineer with the fire company, several are ingrained in his memory forever.  He recalls the pipeline fire that began when a bulldozer blade ruptured a natural gas pipeline.  Junie stated that this fire, which burned for days, was “one hot turkey”.  Additionally, Junie remembers the Highland Avenue Quarry Rescue in which several people died after careening off the road and becoming submerged in the quarry waters.  Lastly, Junie will not forget the military airplane crash on Dillon Road.  Wiley was stunned that only the pilot died as the plane wrecked in between two houses, only tearing the downspout off the one house.

While his favorite girl in the firehouse was the 1950 Mack Pumper, his favorite girl outside the engine bay would be his wife, Annamay.  They continue to be happily married to this day with five children, two of which, Timothy and Kenny, were members of the Fort Washington Fire Company as well.

By Andy Rathfon

B.J., Andrew and Daniel Sharkey stand for a reunion picture alongside Engine 88

This past Thanksgiving was a truly special moment for both the Fort Washington Fire Company No.1 and the Sharkey Family.  For the first time in several years, we were graced with the safe return of B.J., Andrew and Daniel Sharkey to the Fort Washington area from points of military service both home and abroad.  Brothers Andrew and Daniel Sharkey along with cousin B.J. Sharkey, all served as members of the Fort Washington Fire Company No.1, prior to entering the military.  We are proud of their continuing service to our country and wish to highlight their accomplishments and efforts in this article.

Brian “B.J.” Sharkey, a 1999 Graduate of Upper Dublin High School, attended Widener University before deciding to join the Army.  Following Boot Camp at Fort Jackson, SC, B.J. retuned home for a one month hometown recruiting blitz.  After visiting with family and friends, B.J. was sent to Fort Hood where he attended his advanced individual training in order to become a light wheel mechanic (63B).  B.J. would spend the next five years at Fort Hood with the 15th Military Intelligence Battalion – 504th MI Brigade.  In October of 2005, B.J.’s unit was sent as part of the 529th Ordinance Company to Grafenwoehr, Germany.  In January of 2006, his unit was sent to Iraq, approximately 50 miles west of Baghdad, close to Fallujah.  B.J. stated that his unit was responsible for issuing and counting ammunition at the TQ Forward Operating Base.  B.J.’s unit finally returned home this past November.  Despite his experience in Iraq, B.J. plans on making a career out of the military.

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By Bill Gift

Arrow points to one of the three Air Cleaning Systems recently installed at the Summit Avenue Station

In the aftermath of September 11, 2001, the Department of Homeland Security was created.  In looking at all the factors that occurred that day, it was concluded that the countries first responders needed more help and more money to properly respond to future acts of terrorism and disasters.    The most significant program that was created to help accomplish this task was the Assistance to Firefighters Grants (AFG). 

The primary goal of the AFG is to meet the firefighting and emergency response needs of fire departments and nonaffiliated emergency medical services organizations. Since 2001, AFG has helped firefighters and other first responders to obtain critically needed equipment, protective gear, emergency vehicles, training, and other resources needed to protect the public and emergency personnel from fire and related hazards. The Office of Grants and Training in the Department of Homeland Security administers the grants in cooperation with the U.S. Fire Administration. For fiscal year 2005, Congress reauthorized the Assistance to Firefighters Grants for an additional 5 years through 2010.

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By Howard Schmuckler

A real Christmas tree provides a special beauty and a fresh aroma.  However, if proper precautions are not taken, it can present a serious fire hazard.  Fire safety for real trees depends heavily on keeping the tree as moist as possible.  A dry tree can be identified by the brittle, brown needles or by the tree shedding its needles.  Once a tree reaches this state, it can be easily ignited and burn quickly.  If you notice that the water level is not going down, then the water is not being absorbed by the tree.  A tree that does contain moisture can still burn, but it would be more difficult to ignite and would burn slower.  A tree that is transported to and stored at a retail outlet should be baled and kept moist by frequent watering, and kept out of the sun and wind.  When you select a tree to purchase make sure that there are no brown spots and when you tap the stem on the ground that not many needles fall off. 

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