LEHIGH COUNTY, PA – David Hamm joined the Neffs Volunteer Fire Company in 1961. On Sunday, February 6, 2011, friends, family and fellow firefighters gathered to celebrate David’s 50 years of active service. David joined as a young firefighter and quickly moved up the ranks eventually becoming chief of the company from 1972 to 1983. Aside from serving as chief, David noticed something very early in his fire service career: the need to keep the apparatus in good running order. The first rigs were placed in service but no one ever maintained them and led to the trucks not starting when an emergency sounded. David took it upon himself to begin caring for the apparatus and ensuring they were in top-notch condition. Today, David still holds a position of Engineer with the company and can be found working on the rigs every Monday night.
The celebration gathered at the Northern Valley Ambulance Social Hall in North Whitehall Township. Guests were served a delicious home-style meal. After dinner, a video was presented by Assistant Chief Ron Rutt which showcased David’s time with the company. Next, a plethora of guest speakers commended David for all of his hard work and issued citations. David received citations from all levels of government including North Whitehall Township, Lehigh County, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the President of the United States.
David was also presented with a golden ax on behalf of the officers and members of the fire company and his name was placed on a new plaque signifying members achieving 50 years of service.
The final portion of the day was brought to a close with some words by David. He discussed how the company survived with minimal funds and without the luxuries we have today like pagers. He also brought up two significant projects he helped with that changed the face of the fire company. One was changing the color of the apparatus from red to the yellow we know today and the other was constructing the first tractor trailer tanker and later helping design its replacement.
A splendid afternoon was had by all and the afternoon concluded with guests enjoying desserts and sharing stories with one another.
