A message from the Memebers of MVFC#1: 8595 Remembering a Firefighter, a friend and a HERO! On August Fifth 1995 at approximately 1:27 am the Borough of Munhall suffered one of its greatest losses during a tragic event. While responding to an emergency call in the early hours of the morning, 7 volunteer Firefighters responded to Munhall VFC # 1 and boarded their 1974 Mack fire truck as they all had done so many times before. Little did they know that the evening’s events would change their lives forever! While responding to the call the truck went out of control colliding with several parked vehicle on Martha St., then rolled over several times before it coming to rest in a grassy field which is now known as the Big Lots parking lot on the Waterfront. Firefighter Ike Boehme, Dale Cannon, David Churma, Robert Grandetty, Scott Maszle, and Phillip Ostrowski were all hospitalized as a result of the accident. Firefighter William “ Spence “ Marks answered his last call that night. Bill gave the ultimate sacrifice to his family, friends, brother Firefighters and most of all to his community. This was the first and only time that Munhall Vol. Fire Company #1 had suffered a tragic loss of a member in its 101 years of operation. Bill Marks served as a volunteer firefighter with Munhall Vol. Fire Company # 1 for over 30 years, most of the time being the first one at the station when there was an emergency call for help. Bill also was a 27-year employee of the Carnegie Library of Homestead, where he assisted with swim classes and the gym. He also worked daily as a Crossing Guard with the Borough of Munhall. Bill always had a very special place in his life for children; during the summer months when the weather was warm he would open a fire hydrant behind the fire hall so all the neighborhood children could cool off. Bill would also never deny any child the opportunity to sit on or in the company’s Fire Truck or Ambulance. Bill also was very active with the company’s yearly fire prevention training that was held at several of the local schools. As new member entered the company they quickly became friends with Bill, who could be found at the station just about every day. Following the days after the accident several local departments came to be by the side of their hurting brother Firefighters at Munhall VFC # 1. The greatest show of this was during the funeral procession for Bill. It was said that more than 500 hundred brother Firefighters with as many at 100 emergency vehicles made up the massive funeral procession. Most of these firefighters never personally knew Bill but when you a firefighter you’re a member of one of the largest families in the world. Following the funereal Munhall VFC# 1 came upon hard times having buried one of their own they focused on getting their other 6 member better and back to the station. Over the last 18 years we at Munhall VFC # 1 know that every time the alarm sounds he is there with us on the engine watching over us as our guardian angel. Today several memorials can still be found around the Borough. In 1997 the company dedicated its brand new fire engine in memory of Bill and has turned his fire gear locker into a permanent memorial. Shortly after the accident a cross was placed at the intersection of 8th avenue and Martha St. to memorialize bill, and when the development started the road that led through that area was named William Marks Drive. A Plaque Sits on William Marks Drive depicting the tragic events of that evening. A permanent memorial sits at the intersection of 13th avenue and Martha St. There is also a cross that stands at the tragic site at the intersection of 8th Ave and Martha St. for the last 18 years. Today if you stop at the station you will find that the members of the company to this day bear the number 8595 (August 5th 1995) on their helmets to remind them that Bill is watching and that we will never forget him. So on this the 18 anniversary of the loss of Munhall firefighter, William “ Spence “ Marks, We the membership of Munhall Vol. Fire Company # 1 ask not that you weep for Bill but that you remember his life as a Firefighter, a friend and most importantly for what he was A HERO! We Miss you Bill. The Members of Munhall Volunteer Fire Company # 1
Posted on: Mon, 05 Aug 2013 20:50:19 +0000
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