Hopewell Township officials recognize fire, first-aid volunteers

Men, women provided relief to victims of the worst flooding of Titusville by the Delaware River in a half-century.

By John Tredrea
   From April 1-5, volunteers from the Union Fire Company and Rescue Squad in Titusville and the Pennington Fire Company worked around the clock to provide relief to victims of the worst flooding of Titusville by the Delaware River in a half-century.
   Those volunteers were formally honored by the Township Committee Monday night.
   Union Fire Chief Bryan Malkiewicz, former Union Chief Don Kintzel and longtime Union Rescue Squad member Janet Crum and about 10 other volunteers attended the meeting.
   A resolution passed unanimously by the committee stated in part that the volunteers helped the township police "notify residents of the impending emergency, assisted residents in moving and removing valuables, aiding in the evacuation of homes, filling and placing sand bags to keep flood waters out of homes, pumping water from basements and roadways and ensuring safe conditions through the affected area."
   Committeewoman Judy Niederer said residents of River Drive, the closest street in the township to the Delaware, "are very grateful, I know, to these volunteers because in many cases those sandbags were exactly what were needed to keep the flood damage from being much more serious than it was."