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Moon Run fire service: 70 years and going strong
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Tom Somma has been with the Moon Run Volunteer Fire Department in Robinson for almost half of its 70-year existence and he says morale among members has never been better.
"We've got everybody going the same direction, and we're going the same direction for the good of the community," the department captain said.
Moon Run celebrated its 70th anniversary with a banquet last month. Mr. Somma and a number of other long-time members received plaques for their years of service.
Mr. Somma said that while many departments are suffering in terms of membership and mission, Moon Run is going strong. It has about 30 members -- 18 of them active. There are two junior firefighters -- ages 14-17 -- and three more who graduated recently to full-fledged firefighter status.
The department, based on Steubenville Pike near Interstate 79, covers the interstate between the Parkway West (Interstate 376) and McKees Rocks/Coraopolis (Route 51) interchanges, Steubenville Pike between Settler's Cabin and the Thornburg Bridge, and local roads in southern Robinson up to Clever Road.
It also assists the other two fire stations in Robinson and neighboring departments.
Mr. Somma said the department's focus is more on vehicle accidents than on fires, and it prides itself on getting people out of wrecked vehicles and into the care of medical professionals as quickly as possible.
"We've helped save countless lives that way," he said. "Our real contribution is out in the streets."
First Published December 10, 2009 5:34 am
