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Eldred Township Volunteer Fire Company recently celebrated its 75th anniversary, as reported in last weekend's edition of the Williamsport Sun-Gazette.
In many ways, the stories of our communities over generations are the stories of our volunteer fire companies. In many rural villages and small boroughs throughout our region and state, the fire company is the hub of civic life -- the sites of community dinners and first steps of parades.
Beyond those memories and moments, the fire company helps people throughout the community in some of their most terrifying, debilitating moments -- and helps them bravely, at risk to their own safety, in ways that lessen the pain and relieve the fear.
That sense of selfless services, as we have editorialized before, is the hallmark of the best of our communities' values.
While the occasion in Eldred Township and similar occasions for all of our region's fire companies deserve celebration, we should still note that our volunteer fire companies face daunting challenges. The requirements and mandated training to be a firefighter or first responder are costly, and companies need both steady, reliable numbers of volunteers and financial contributions to remain viable.
We urge our communities -- as households and neighborhoods and as municipal and county government -- to frequently review and improve upon how we are supporting these men and women in their exemplary, vital work.