The Times Herald (Norristown, PA)
LABOR OF LOVE
Volunteers install new lighting at Firefighter Memorial
As dusk falls on the campus of the Montgomery County Public Safety Training Campus, a landmark memorial will now glow brighter than ever in tribute to the fallen firefighters permanently honored there.
The latest improvement of LED outdoor flood lights added to the Montgomery County Firefighter Memorial on Conshohocken Road was accomplished through a PECO grant and volunteer efforts of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW), Local 98.
Project manager Tom Garrity recalled how the men worked tirelessly in rainy weather on their day off to get the job done.
“They wouldn’t even accept a cup of coffee,” he said.
IBEW’s Bob Creswell said giving up a Saturday for such a good cause was a “nobrainer.”
“Tom Garrity reached out to us and basically they were looking for the labor. So we provided the manpower,” he said. “We take in pride in volunteering for the community. We do a lot of work in the Norristown area, Montgomery County and also in the Philadelphia area. So when Tom gave us the opportunity to help the Montgomery County Fire Academy we jumped on it.”
Local 98’s many altruistic contributions have benefited numerous organizations in the area, including Habitat for Humanity in Bridgeport and the George Washington Carver Center in Norristown.
“We always want to do more, especially when it comes down to firefighters,” Creswell said. “Local 98 supports the firefighters and police of this community, so we’re proud to do anything we can to help them out, especially a memorial that honors those who sacrifice their lives to help us and protect our community. So we’re proud to do anything we can to help out.”
The upgraded LED lighting was purchased at Colonial Electric.
Local 98 crew members included Tom Lepera, Boe Lawless and Pat Diehl.
“We have a real good relationship with the police and the firefighters in Montgomery County,” Craswell noted. “Last year we did a smoke detector drive, where our members go around in Norristown neighborhoods with the firefighters and replace smoke detectors We really care about the community,” he added, “and giving up our time for a few hours was nothing for us compared to what the police and firefighters do day in and day out.”