CLARKS SUMMIT — Local police officers, firefighters, EMS members, and other first responders enjoyed a night off duty to dine and mingle with other service members of neighboring communities. They were honored with a dinner, the second annual Abington Area First Responders Appreciation Night, held Nov. 10 at the Ramada Inn.
It was a night of open bar and live music performed by Clarks Summit party band FullCircle, which played classic rock, R&B and Motown. A committee called ASAP (Abingtonians Support All Patrolmen), which consists of Abington Heights Civic League, Abington Rotary Club, business and organizations, sponsored the event to show their gratitude to service members for keeping the communities of Clarks Summit, South Abington Twp., Chinchilla, Newton Twp., Ransom Twp., Dalton and Waverly safe.
Classic Properties, a real estate company in Clarks Summit, was one of the major sponsors of the dinner. Realtor Marcy Curra gave opening remarks. Since the event was held the day before Veterans Day, she asked for a round of applause for veterans present at the event and for those who couldn’t be there. She thanked the military and emergency personnel, firefighters, paramedics and volunteer police.
“Thank you so much for giving up your time with your families to protect ours,” she said. “Thank you for working in all weather conditions all year round. You run towards dangerous situations while others run away.”
Curra also recognized the sponsors, including Steve Farrell, owner of Classic Properties.
“It’s our way of giving back and recognizing the first responders giving them a night to party because they deserve it,” she continued.
Glenn Amos, chaplain of Clarks Summit Police Department and pastor of Heritage Baptist Church, offered a blessing before the dinner.
District judge Paul Keeler spoke and explained the mission of First Responders Appreciation Night — “to thank, honor and promote the police and first responders,” with whom he has worked closely.
“I think we’ve been successful and hope it keeps going on,” he said. “We want you to have a night out with your spouses and your friends and really relax and also know that here in the Abingtons, we really support you and appreciate what you do.”
Keeler praised the responders for their professionalism and empathy in dealing with families facing problems such as mental health issues or addiction. He also acknowledged Police Chief Robert A. Gerrity for 40 years in the South Abington Police Department, giving him a bottle of bourbon as a token of appreciation.
Gerrity said before he started working for the South Abington Police Department, he was a part-time officer for the Archbald Police Department when he filled an application from a comprehensive employment training act.
“They (employment training act) said, ‘Would you like to work in South Abington?’” he told the audience. “I said, ‘Where the hell is South Abington?’ as the audience laughed. “But desperate for a job, I accepted. Forty years later, here I am. I couldn’t be prouder to work with all the people from the Abingtons.
“It’s great how it brings all the first responders together,” Gerrity said of the event.
John Judge, South Abington police officer and captain of the Scranton Fire Department, introduced colleague and friend Bruce Trego, Acting PA State Fire Commissioner, who has been working multiple roles such as administrator of PA State Fire Academy in Lewistown.
Sharing a story from his own personal experience, Trego talked about the importance of teaching children how to use a phone as a tool, especially in a dangerous situation such as a fire.
“We need to stay in communication,” he said. “We need to understand the world has changed.
Trego also spoke of a matter dear to his heart. He mentioned that, according to a 2017 study, more first responders have died from suicide than from the line of duty. He said he is working with awareness programs for behavioral health in the entry-level programs. His plea to everyone else was, “Take care of yourselves. Take care of each other. Enjoy life the way it should be.”
First Responders Appreciation Night also had sponsors who help first responders and crew with critical incidents. One was Green-Gow Memorial CISM (Critical Incident Stress Management) Team, an organization that does a debriefing in which a group of people discusses an incident or does a one-on-one session in order to help with recovery from stress reactions of critical incidents such as line of duty death, injury or suicide. CISM operational officer Robert Carpenter liked the fact that first responders were given a dinner in their honor.
“It’s great how it brings all the first responders together,” he said.
Equines for Freedom provides therapy for veterans and first responders with post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Bob Tagert, a volunteer, and his wife Susan, secretary of the board of directors, sponsored the event.
“It is wonderful to bring all the people together, first responders, EMS together,” said firefighter Mark Sujkowski of the Dalton Fire Company. “I thank the sponsors for doing all of this. I also thank the Ramada Inn for hosting it.
It’s a good thing to get the EMS, PD, fire departments some recognition,” added Jeff LaCoe, chief of Newton-Ransom Volunteer Fire Co. “It makes us feel good.”
