David Groff Recognized for Service

When David L. Groff was 17 years old, a few of his buddies said they were thinking about joining what was then called Liberty Fire Company, 339 E. Main St., New Holland. When the friends asked if he wanted to join with them, Groff said, "Yeah, why not?"

On June 13, Groff was honored for his 50 years of volunteer service to Garden Spot Fire Rescue (GSFR) when he was presented a citation by Pennsylvania Rep. Keith Greiner at the Cadet Camp graduation ceremony and annual banquet.

Soon after being accepted into the firefighting program, Groff and his buddies began training. Although Groff remembers being somewhat intimidated when he first worked the hose line - "You go into a dark, smoky situation. That was a little scary," recalled Groff - he soon discovered that he liked responding to car accidents. "I enjoyed doing vehicle rescue," he said, adding that when he first began helping to extract victims from vehicles, the Hurst Power Rescue Tool, better known as the Jaws of Life, was not in common use. "Back then it was all done by hand," recalled Groff, who noted that by the late 1970s, the Jaws were making rescues more efficient. "The Jaws of Life and other power tools make it a lot quicker to get into the cars," stated Groff, who added, "A good rescue doesn't take the patient away from the vehicle but rather the vehicle away from the patient. That's how you know you're doing a good job." Groff has found rescue work to be especially rewarding over the years. "Every person you extricate and they live, that's amazing," he said.

Groff was a career emergency medical technician (EMT) with Brickerville Fire & EMS Company, serving 19 years before a cancer diagnosis. He noted that his GSFR service was instrumental in his EMT career. "When I got out of EMT school, Brickerville was looking for someone," he remembered. "Brickerville knew what I had gone through as a firefighter (and that) I would be a good candidate for an EMT." Now, Groff continues to serve GSFR as the EMS sergeant. "We run a Quick Response Service (QRS)," said Groff, who noted that responders have to be certified through the Pennsylvania State Department of Health. He noted that GSFR offers airway management and works closely with New Holland EMS. "New Holland EMS is so advanced today," stated Groff. "They are doing an excellent job. I commend them."

A lot has changed since Groff first donned firefighter gear. He pointed out that when he started, air packs consisted of steel cylinders. "They are fiberglass now, and they're a lot lighter," he stated, adding that even with the change to fiberglass, a firefighter's gear weighs 75 pounds.

Other changes have increased the safety level for the personnel who respond to fires. When Groff started, firefighters hung on to the tailboard at the back of a truck on their way to a call. "I loved it," stated Groff. "When we went over railroad tracks and (my) whole body jumped. To this day I miss that." Groff said the practice was finally banned, but he did not get the message right away. "Of course, I didn't listen," reported Groff. "I went to jump on the truck, and I missed and ended up face first in the oil pan. That taught me. That was the last time I chased the truck."

A few calls over the years have stuck with Groff. He remembers the Musselman Lumber fire in May of 1994. "That fire was a big one," he stated. He also remembers a few times when a young person was lost in an incident and how he returned to his home and hugged his son following the situation. He said that another change over the years involves the emotional impact of a call with a negative outcome. "We have a debriefing team when something is really serious," said Groff. "We have a chaplain, Jimmy Fannin. If we have anything we need to discuss with him, we can sit down and talk."

Looking back over his 50 years with GSFR, Groff feels a strong sense of accomplishment. "I enjoyed the satisfaction of helping people in their time of need," he stated. "It's rewarding, and I like to make a difference."

Although Groff lost part of a lung to cancer, he has no intention of giving up volunteering with GSFR. "I will do it until I can't do it anymore," he said.

More information about GSFR may be found at https://gsfr39.net.