Born March 11, 1963, in Williamsport, he was a son of Fred C. and L. Jane DeWire. He and his wife, the former Mary M. O’Keefe, would have celebrated 25 years of marriage on January 28, 2008.
Kline was an active member of the Watsontown Alliance Church. The Ministries that Kline provided were, a Head Trustee and Ministry Board Member of the church. He also served the Watsontown Christian Academy as a volunteer and as a youth sponsor for Alliance Youth Fellowship. Kline was also a former BSF Leader.
Kline enjoyed scuba diving, fishing, boating and golfing. Kline chose to be a Gift of Life organ donor and a life long American Red Cross blood donor.
Kline graduated from The Williamsport Hospital & Medical Center Paramedic Training Institute. He was employed by Susquehanna Regional EMS as a Paramedic Platoon Chief.
Kline loved to teach and has been a Fire Academy Instructor since the late 1980’s. His specialty was teaching Rescue classes (Vehicle, Bus, Rope, Water, and Trench Rescue) and Hazardous Material Classes. It is safe to say he taught a majority of Emergency Responders in our region, Hazardous Material classes as well as Rescue classes. He also taught fire suppression classes from Essentials of Fire Fighting to Structural Burns.
Kline was an EMT Instructor and Rescue Instructor for the Pennsylvania Department of Health. He was also an Advanced Cardiac Life Support, Pediatric Life Support and Basic Life Support instructor. Kline also taught Basic Trauma Life Support.
Kline has been a member of the Hughesville Volunteer Fire Department for 28 years. He has served as a Lieutenant and Chairman of the Building Committee. Kline was also a long term member of the Old Lycoming Township Volunteer Fire Company. He has served as a Lieutenant, Ambulance Committee Chairman and served on the Building Sub Committees. Kline was also a member of the Montoursville Willing Hand Hose Company, Montgomery Volunteer Fire Company and Loyalsock Volunteer Fire Company No. 1.
He was a member of the Pennsylvania Urban Search & Rescue Task Force 1 and was the Hazardous Materials Team Leader. He was a regional officer for Squad 2.
Kline was a founder of Technical Rescue Task Force 80 and the Lycoming County Decon Task Force.
Kline was the Chairman for the Lycoming County Emergency Planning Committee and the Chairman of the Rescue Task Force Committee for Lycoming County Emergency Medical Services Council. He was a member of the Rescue Task Force for the Pennsylvania Emergency Medical Services Council. Kline was a Chairman of the Training / Education Committee and a member of the Equipment Committee for the Northcentral Region Terrorism Task Force. He was an Adjunct Faculty Member of the Pennsylvania College of Technology Paramedic Training Program.
Kline's professional qualification board certifications were Fire Fighter, Rescue Technician, Hazardous Material Technician, Instructor and Fire Officer.
Kline has been a valuable contributor to the development and improvement of the Fire, Rescue and Emergency Medical Services in Lycoming County, the region and the state. Through his Fire and Rescue teaching as well as Instruction of Student Paramedics Kline has contributed to the advancement of Emergency Services throughout the Country. As an employee of Susquehanna Health Kline has contributed to the development of the Regions first Decontamination Center, and has provided invaluable contributions to the Health Systems on going Emergency Preparedness. Each year Kline provided planning and preparation for the Emergency Medical Services provided at the Little League World Series. Twice Kline was honored in providing Emergency Medical Services for the Vice Presidential Visits. He has touched the lives of Fire, Police and EMS providers and those who dial 911 for Emergency Services throughout the Country. Of special note Kline was deployed to the Gulf States with Pennsylvania Task Force 1 twice in response to Katrina and returned once on a missions trip to provide aid to the victims of this devastating disaster. His contribution to his fellow man was Kline’s life passion.
Surviving, in addition to his wife and parents, are two sons, Bryan S. (Sarah) DeWire of St. Paul, Minnesota and Kline C. DeWire of Hughesville; a daughter, Margaret L. DeWire of Hughesville; a brother, Matthew E. (Rebecca) DeWire of Allenwood; and a sister, Laurie S. (James) Staib of Muncy.
Funeral services will be 11 a.m. Friday, at the Watsontown Alliance Church, 1165 Eighth Street Drive, Watsontown, with the Rev. Donald R. Jones officiating. Burial will follow in Pleasant Hill Cemetery, Hughesville. There will be a visitation on Wednesday from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Watsontown Alliance Church for Emergency Services personnel. A separate visitation will be held on Thursday from 1 to 4 and 6 to 9 p.m., at the church, for family and friends. Friends may also call from 9 to 11 a.m. Friday at the church.
The family will provide the flowers and suggest memorial contributions be made to the Kline A. DeWire Memorial Fund, C/O Watsontown Alliance Church, 1165 Eighth Street Drive, Watsontown, PA 17777. Checks should be made payable to the church.
Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to the McCarty-Thomas Funeral Home, 557 E. Water St., Hughesville.
