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ABINGTON – The Roslyn Fire Company of the Abington Township Fire Department was honored with community service awards from the Willow Grove branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), the Pennsylvania State Senate, and the Pennsylvania House of Representatives at the annual Unity Day celebration held in Abington Township on Sept. 11th.

Every year, members of the ATFD’s Roslyn Fire Company attend the event held in Crestmont Park to present community members with information about becoming a volunteer firefighter. It also gives the community an opportunity to get to know their local firefighters and look at the various firefighting equipment and apparatus used by the ATFD.

To celebrate the company’s commitment to Unity Day, and its service to all residents of the township, the Willow Grove Branch of the NAACP presented members of the fire company with a plaque at Saturday’s celebration. The recognition came on a fitting day, as the nation as a whole reflected on the heroic efforts and sacrifices made by firefighters and emergency personnel responding to the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11th, 2001.

“It is important to give an award like this to the ATFD because they have attended this event for 22 years and are so responsive to serving and respecting our citizens,” said Valerie Ward, who coordinated Unity Day. “They always come. You can count on them.”

In addition to receiving an award from the NAACP, Roslyn accepted citations from Senator LeAnna Washington on behalf of the State Senate, and Rep. Josh Shapiro on behalf of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives. The citations lauded the company for its service in times of emergency, as well as its fire prevention and community education programs.

“It is always exciting when one of our member companies is honored for its contributions to community safety, and we congratulate the members of the Roslyn Fire Company on these accomplishments,” said David Schramm, Fire Services Administrator for the ATFD. “We are grateful for the community recognition and look forward to continuing the level of service our residents have come to expect.”

The ATFD has been serving the community for more than 100 years and is made up of five separately chartered fire companies: Abington, McKinley, Weldon, Edge Hill, and Roslyn. Approximately 235 volunteers belong to the department and dedicate their time and energy to keeping the community safe.

Firefighting is one of many services that the ATFD provides to its 15‐square‐mile community. ATFD volunteers are trained in vehicle rescue, hazardous materials response, structural collapse rescue, confined space rescue, and trench rescue. Community outreach is another focus of the organization. Volunteer firefighters can regularly be found in the schools, at senior centers, and at community events educating others about fire safety and responsible decision making.

The ATFD headquarters is located at 1176 Old York Road in Abington. For more information, call (267) 536‐1055 or visit
www.AbingtonFD.org.