Since 1922, a group made up of friends, family, neighbors, co-workers, and those seeking to become a better friend or neighbor; have gathered on the corner of Washington Ave. and Leiper Street in the South Media section of Nether Providence Township to provide fire and rescue services to the residents of Nether Providence Township, the Borough of Rose Valley, and any other local communities that ask for help.
Throughout the next century, the South Media Fire Company No. 1 became a constant presence in an ever-changing community. There when needed, whether to save lives or protect property – or even to bring a smile to a child’s face by driving by in a parade, or escorting Santa through town in December. All our work, big and small, has all been made possible through the sacrifices of our members – from family dinners to precious sleep – so their neighbors are protected in their time of need.
Today, we are a group of members that range from 14 to 80 with a wide range of professions and trades. We are teachers, students, entrepreneurs, software engineers, scientists, and more.
We represent all genders, races, and religions – and do not tolerate discrimination towards any.
In short, we are you. We are your friends, family, and neighbors. Come find out how you can JOIN US!
First Charter
John Ormsby Owner of Ormsby’s
First Fund Drive Letter
Letter confirming first engine
Membership
South Media Ladies Auxiliary
Building addition
Colorful Uniforms
Santa Run Late 20th Century
Chief Getz and Dr. Fescoln
Accident on Baltimore Pike
Wesley Gibson and Mike Ferguson
Trimm Glass Company Fire
Chief Bob Clancy and (future) Jim Speckhals
Castle Fire
Marshall’s Fire
Membership Turn of the Centuryish
Drafting Training at the Old Mil
First Engine
American La France with Driver
Rear Hosebed American La France
American La France
Little Squirt Jeep
American La France and Dodge Pumper
Chevrolet Service Truck
Dodge Utility Pickup Truck
Rescue Boat
Dodge Utility, Ford/Swab Heavy-Rescue, American La France Pumper
Ford-Pierce Pumper
Pierce Pumper
Pierce Heavy-Rescue
51 Command
Spartan/4-Guys Engine
Please visit our website at southmediafire.com/join-us/.
The firefighters are 100% volunteer.
Firefighters are on call 24/7/365, but they are not at the station. In between calls, they carry on with their normal lives.
Two – South Media Fire Company and Garden City Fire Company. Together, we operate as the Nether Providence Fire Department.
Volunteer! Volunteers of all kinds are needed, not just firefighters. We need help with the fire house, trucks, fundraising, events, IT, you name it!
Please donate via PayPal. Additionally, you may donate directly to us by sending us a check made out to South Media Fire Company #1, or by participating in the annual Fund Drive we do as a Department.
No. But in the event of a true emergency, please make sure to call 911.
Please call South Media Fire Company at (610) 566-6151. If there is no one at the firehouse, please leave a message, and we will return your call at our earliest convenience.
Emergency responders are sometimes recalled before they reach the scene. In that case, they immediately turn off the lights and sirens and proceed at normal speed.
Pull over immediately and stay there until the emergency vehicle has passed.
Fire companies are not only responsible for fire suppression. They also respond to motor vehicle accidents to extricate occupants, secure hazards, suppress car fires, and assist Emergency Medical Services.
Motor vehicle accidents, smoke and carbon monoxide alarm activations, gas leaks, downed wires, structural collapses, and assisting Emergency Medical Services are all examples of other calls that we respond to.
Currently, we encourage all community residents to purchase both smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors at local home improvement or ‘box stores.’ Residents are responsible for the purchase and maintenance of safety devices in their homes.
An intermittent chirp communicates the need for replacement batteries or a new unit. We encourage you to examine your unit and determine your need. Having extra batteries on hand, and checking your units annually, are great ways to be proactive in your home protection.
Fire extinguishers, like many products in our home, have a limited lifespan. We recommend that you follow manufacturer recommendations on your unit and purchase extinguishers accordingly. With old units, you may discharge remaining product in a well ventilated and outdoor area and place the unit in household waste bins.
No, all of our members are unpaid volunteers. That includes our firefighters, officers, and administrative staff.
We don’t have set shifts that we work. We all have pagers (or iPhone apps) that alert us when there’s an incident that requires our help. We could be eating dinner, at work, out buying groceries, or at home sleeping when the call comes in. We’ll report to the station, get our gear, and respond to the emergency from there. Because there’s no guarantee that we’ll all be available at any given time, it’s critical to have as many members from the community as possible.
For our fully trained interior firefighters (ProBoard Fire 1 as minimum), we do have shifts serving as the Duty Engine for the 6th Fire District approximately 3-4 times per month.
We have drill every Monday night from 7 PM until about 9 PM, and cover a large variety of topics over the course of the year. We have a fully hands on additional training each Sunday from 9 AM until 1 PM, which usually involves specific Engine and Rescue operations training including advancing hose lines, drafting, forcible entry, low angle rescue, water rescue, and responding to electrical and gas emergencies.
In addition, our firefighters are expected to earn their Firefighter I and Vehicle Rescue certifications.
The Firefighter I certification consists of:
Introduction to the Fire Service – 16 hours
Hazardous Materials Awareness – 4 hours
Fire Ground Support – 34 hours
Exterior Firefighter – 52 hours
Hazardous Materials Operations – 24 hours
First Aid / CPR – 8 hours
Interior Firefighter – 44 hours
Firefighter I certification exam – 10 hours
The Vehicle Rescue certification consists of:
Vehicle Rescue Awareness – 24 hours
Vehicle Rescue Operations – 20 hours
Most fire school classes are held at either the Montgomery County Fire Academy or the Delaware County Emergency Services Training Center.
No, we cover all of your training expenses. Members who wish to be active will be encouraged to take classes that are suited to their ability level as well as their interests.
*Please note that the station is not manned. For any emergency, please dial 911 directly.
