Hall of Flame Volunteers

The Hall of Flame volunteers participate in every aspect of the museum's operations. Volunteers organize and run fund raising events. They drive several of the museum's rigs at outdoor events. They assist in museum workshops and group tours. They clean the museum and help to maintain the collection. They are available as guides for special events and openings.

Volunteers come from every occupation. Some, but by no means all, have a background as career or volunteer firefighters. All have a strong sense of community involvement. In the three years since their founding, the volunteers have made themselves an indispensable part of the Hall of Flame's staff.

We always need new volunteers. They should be able to spend some of their time in the Phoenix area. Some of our members only live in the Valley of the Sun for part of the year, when they make themselves available. The volunteers meet at the museum one evening each month, and one Saturday morning each month. They also participate in special events and work on individual projects. If you are interested in becoming a volunteer, please call the museum at 602 275 3473 and ask for Sue Owen. She will put you in touch with Ron Deutsch.

In August of 1998 Volunteers Ron Deutsch (l) and Dave Riley pose with the 1968 ERF/HCB/Angus pump/escape fire engine at the Wallenius Lines storage yard in Port Hueneme, California. After we figured out how it started we drove it around the lot to get the shifting pattern, and took off on California 101 through the LA rush hour to Phoenix.
Dave drove the rig through LA to just past Palm Springs. Museum Director Pete Molloy drove the rig into Phoenix. Ron drove the chase car. We arrived about 1 AM. Donor Peter Eichorn assured us that the rig could easily handle the 450 mile journey, and he was right. It made the trip with no problems.
The volunteers lost no time in driving the rig in several parades, where it was a crowd favorite. Here Dave, Jim Pearson, Ron Deutsch, Rick Hallmark, Pete Mortensen and Ralph Glasmann pose with the ERF before driving it in an Apache Junction, Arizona parade. All sis volunteers fit easily in the spacious cab.
The volunteers prepared all of the refreshments for the October 24, 1998 opening of the National Firefighting Hall of Heroes. Pictured left to right are Roberta Bramlet, Ralph Glasmann, Nancy Glasmann, Grace Deutsch, Ron Deutsch, Rick Shearer, Pete Mortenson, Lou De Pasquale, Diane Stuve, and Dick Stuve.