First to Arrive: Lafayette Fire Company
Sirens in the Night
When disaster strikes, first responders often make the difference in favorable outcomes. Their willingness to train for and take on emergencies is essential to the functioning of our communities. Their tenacity and strength in times of stress are a tribute to the human spirit. Fortunately, the scene above is from a drill and not a real emergency.
A Mission to Preserve Life, Property, and the Environment
Formed in 1943, Lafayette Fire Company covers a busy 15-square-mile area of Lancaster. The diverse landscape includes limited-access highways, hotels, an amusement park, schools, nursing homes, restaurants, shopping centers, a large corporate center, commuter and freight railroad facilities, apartment communities, urban housing, and farms. The company also serves adjacent municipalities through mutual and automatic aid.
Preparedness Collaboration
To maintain readiness, Lafayette and other first responders work with High Steel Structures LLC’s First Aid Team in annual safety triage exercises, staged incidents that personnel only later learn are simulations. In one example, teams performed rescues from concurrent incidents including an overturned tractor-trailer with leaking tanks and two cars crashing into the truck with six victims. After each exercise, a thorough debrief identifies successes and opportunities to further sharpen skills.
“High Steel Structures has conducted large-scale safety drills for more than 10 years,” said Deb Kupres, Lead Estimator and First Aid Team Leader, High Steel Structures. “We thank Dave Keens, deputy chief at Lafayette Fire Company, who has helped us plan and coordinate.”
Lafayette Fire Company acknowledged High Companies' years of support with a commemorative plaque. From left to right: Mike Lorelli, Senior V.P. - Commercial Asset Management, High Associates, Ltd.; Robin Stauffer, Assistant Secretary and Executive Director of High Foundation; Jason Beiler, President, and Suzi Sutton, Community Outreach Coordinator, Lafayette Fire Company.
Support from High
Through the years, High has provided financial support and expertise so that Lafayette can pursue its vision of continually improving the quality of life, health, and safety of the people they serve through emergency services.
“The High Family and High Companies have been instrumental with our fire company since its inception,” said Jason Beiler, President, Lafayette Fire Company. “Without High's support, we would not be able to provide the level of services that we do, not just to High employees and facilities, but to all the residents of East Lampeter Township.”
Lafayette is one of nearly 20 first responder organizations that benefit from the time, talent, expertise, and direct investment of High and High co-workers.
In 1949, High Welding Company built this Chevrolet Pumper for Lafayette Fire Company. High Welding was the forerunner of High Companies.
An Environment of Innovation Since 1931
At High, we are fortunate to work with a team of talented and engaged coworkers, as well as the very best customers, business partners, and community leaders throughout our many locations in the eastern and Midwestern United States.
While our headquarters and our organizational roots are planted firmly in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania—a vibrant and distinctively hardworking community that strongly influences who we are as a company—the values we espouse, including honest hard work, trustworthy relationship-building, and innovative leadership, are shared by all co-workers throughout our businesses.
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