Inside Glen Ellyn's Volunteer Fire Company

Considering the difficulty, labor and risk involved in working as a firefighter, it's surprising to find so many in Glen Ellyn willing to take on the job for only a dollar a year.

This tradition of volunteerism stretches back over 100 years to when Village President Edgar H. McChesney organized the fire company in 1907. Today, more than 60 men make up the ranks at Glen Ellyn's fire department. Each—from the rookie to the chief—volunteers his time and energy to keep the town safe.

"Everyone has a pager," explained John Martin, who came to the fire company in 2002. "Whenever we get a call, everyone's pager goes off. If you're available, you come down and make the call. On the weekdays, when a lot of people are out of town or working, we have a regular day crew of three guys. They'll work from 6:30 in the morning to 6:30 at night and make the majority of the calls during the day."

The city keeps two stations for the fire company, one north of downtown on Pennsylvania Avenue, and the other south of Roosevelt on Taft Avenue.

"Whenever we get a call, we send one engine from each station. We do that because of the train that runs through town, which can stop the north engine coming south, or the other way around," said Martin.

While most of the calls are for alarms or medical aid, Glen Ellyn is not immune to serious fires. In 2009, Lombard, Wheaton, Lisle-Woodridge and other fire companies joined the Glen Ellyn volunteers to combat a fire in the Royal Glen Condominiums, which destroyed 30 units and displaced scores of residents. In the summer of 2000, a series of arson fires were set near Milton Avenue and Buena Vista Avenue. With the help of Glen Ellyn's volunteers, investigators were able to apprehend the arsonist.

According to the company's published history, a major train derailment in 1950 led to a courageous 60-hour battle with a conflagration fueled by the train's load of coal, lumber, and high-octane airplane fuel. In 1976, a collision between two trains created wreckage for five blocks and released a toxic chemical spill. The fire company participated in putting out fires and evacuating residents from the affected area.

Volunteers come to the fire company for many reasons. While the company offers an annual open house and publishes a newsletter advertising the volunteer opportunity, many find the job through word of mouth, or by following family tradition.

"There have been a lot of fathers and sons over the years," said Martin.

The fire company is always looking for new volunteers, and while no experience is necessary, there are some restrictions. According to the company's website, applicants must be 21 by the completion of training and must have lived within one mile of the town's fire district for more than six months, or work exclusively in Glen Ellyn.

Applicants must also write a letter to the company chief, Scott R. Raffensparger, explaining who they are, when they would be available to work and why they would like to join the company.

"We do keep the letters," added Martin with a laugh. "And they get read at the meetings. The best ones are always half a page, or less."

New volunteers will train for between 12 and 18 months, with weekly Sunday morning sessions dedicated to learning to use the company's vehicles and equipment, practicing moving while dressed in gear, training with fellow fire fighters and mastering the many finer skills of fighting fires.

"I didn't think volunteers would actually fight fires," said Martin. "I thought I'd be cleaning the floors or helping with computers, but when I showed up to the open house they told me no, I'd be in the fires, fighting the fires, with the gear and everything. It was great."