16
THE DAVEY BULLETIN
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May/June 2019
Matt Smith, Chris Weitoish and Ron Weitoish helped save an
elderly couple's house from catching fire.
WHERE THERE'S SMOKE, THERE'S FIRE
Thick smoke billowed across the rural right-of-way Matt
Smith, Chris Weitoish and Ron Weitoish were maintaining
for the United Electric Cooperative account.
Soon the pungent smell of fire filled the bare Pennsylvania
winter woods.
"We were finishing up when we noticed a lot of smoke,"
Matt Smith said. "I'm sitting in the mower watching, and
Chris got out of the sky trim and went looking through the
woods at this house. I thought somebody was just burning
a coal burner, stoking it up."
The smoke died down somewhat, and as they were leaving
the right-of-way a volunteer firefighter flew by in a pick-up
truck with lights and sirens blaring. Matt and Chris grabbed
the fire extinguishers in their truck and headed back towards
the house.
At the house, they encountered the volunteer firefighter –
with no firefighting equipment – on the roof of the house,
where smoke puffed from the chimney. The firefighter
grabbed the Davey fire extinguishers and entered the
basement of the house. He emptied the extinguishers'
contents up into the chimney, dousing a flue fire that had
developed. Soon, the rest of the local fire department
arrived and Chris and Matt returned to work.
INTEGRITY
An infirm elderly couple had been home, unaware of the
near-disaster looming.
The next day Rob Kunselman, general foreman, went back
to the house to retrieve the spent fire extinguishers.
"Their daughter was there," Kunselman said. "She said we
saved her mom and dad's life. The local fire chief had told
her, another 15 minutes and the house would have been
totally engulfed."
Word soon traveled to the desk of the president and CEO
of United Electric Cooperative, Brenda Swartzlander, who
wrote a letter thanking Matt, Chris and Ron for their help
saving two of the utility's customers.
"Chris, Matt and Ron's dedication saved them from harm,
and for this, we are so grateful to them and Davey Tree,"
Swartzlander said. "This crew demonstrated an 'above and
beyond' work ethic. Davey's outstanding performance has
been recognized by everyone here at United. We are
fortunate to have them working on our property."
