Voorhees firefighters light up youth’s lives
Firing playful jabs at the Voorhees firefighters landed one local 9-year-old a lifetime gig with the district.
On Sept. 5, firefighters visited the Voorhees Pediatric Facility (VFP) to show children there fire trucks and equipment, and name Ashawn Brewer an “honorary member” of the fire district.
The facility, a recognized leader in pediatric healthcare, is dedicated to medically fragile and technology-dependent children.
“The kids loved the firefighter visit,” said Lauren Waite, director of recreation therapy and child life at VPF. “It was a great experience for them.”
The Voorhees Fire District has been making Saturday visits to VPF for the last 12 years, according to firefighter Al Coppolino.
“We would go over for [emergency medical service] calls and see the kids in different situations,” he said. “They really touched my heart, and I wanted to figure out what we could do for them that they would enjoy.”
Volunteer firefighters from Stations 662 and 663 visit once a month during the summertime, and Ashawn is always on top of the schedule.
“He gets very excited over the visits,” Waite said. “He always knows when they’re supposed to be coming.”
On the few occasions the firefighters have been unable to make the scheduled trip, though, Ashawn has been quick to rib during the next meeting, Coppolino said.
“When we’d show up, he’d be harassing me, asking why we weren’t there and all,” he explained. “We’re always busting each other’s chops. He’s a real character.”
This year, the firefighters decided to surprise the 9-year-old by making him an honorary member of the district for life.
“[The district] came up with the idea, called me and asked if it’d be OK,” Waite said. “I said, ‘Absolutely — he would love it!’”
That morning, Ashawn was surprised and excited over his new title.
“It was really fun,” he said. “I like when they come out — it’s my favorite part of the summer.”
And where would the firefighter be without his equipment?
“They gave me my own helmet,” he said. “It had my name on it and the number 66.” The VPF children and firefighters took turns squirting each other with the fire hose,which was set to the level of sprinkler, as opposed to its normal water-cannon pressure.
Ashawn, a third-grader at Osage School in Voorhees, said his favorite part of the day was a “sneak attack” he pulled on firefighter Roger “Chicken” Miller.
“I call him ‘Chicken’ because he’s a big chicken,” Ashawn said. “We joke around a lot. I think it’s funny.”
Coppolino, whom the honorary firefighter calls “Big Al,” says he hopes the fire crew can continue visiting VPF for many years.
“A lot of the kids are in really tough situations, and this is something they really look forward to,” he said.
Since its inception in 1982, VPF has grown into a nationally recognized pediatric specialty care center, including 119 inpatient beds and the largest freestanding pediatric ventilator program in the nation, according to its Web site, www.forkidcare.com
The facility also is home to the Bancroft School, an on-site private school for children; Voorhees Pediatric Medical Day Care; and Voorhees Pediatric Rehabilitation Services, a subcontracting agency offering rehabilitative and medical services to a variety of community settings, including schools.
On Sept. 5, firefighters visited the Voorhees Pediatric Facility (VFP) to show children there fire trucks and equipment, and name Ashawn Brewer an “honorary member” of the fire district.
The facility, a recognized leader in pediatric healthcare, is dedicated to medically fragile and technology-dependent children.
“The kids loved the firefighter visit,” said Lauren Waite, director of recreation therapy and child life at VPF. “It was a great experience for them.”
The Voorhees Fire District has been making Saturday visits to VPF for the last 12 years, according to firefighter Al Coppolino.
“We would go over for [emergency medical service] calls and see the kids in different situations,” he said. “They really touched my heart, and I wanted to figure out what we could do for them that they would enjoy.”
Volunteer firefighters from Stations 662 and 663 visit once a month during the summertime, and Ashawn is always on top of the schedule.
“He gets very excited over the visits,” Waite said. “He always knows when they’re supposed to be coming.”
On the few occasions the firefighters have been unable to make the scheduled trip, though, Ashawn has been quick to rib during the next meeting, Coppolino said.
“When we’d show up, he’d be harassing me, asking why we weren’t there and all,” he explained. “We’re always busting each other’s chops. He’s a real character.”
This year, the firefighters decided to surprise the 9-year-old by making him an honorary member of the district for life.
“[The district] came up with the idea, called me and asked if it’d be OK,” Waite said. “I said, ‘Absolutely — he would love it!’”
That morning, Ashawn was surprised and excited over his new title.
“It was really fun,” he said. “I like when they come out — it’s my favorite part of the summer.”
And where would the firefighter be without his equipment?
“They gave me my own helmet,” he said. “It had my name on it and the number 66.” The VPF children and firefighters took turns squirting each other with the fire hose,which was set to the level of sprinkler, as opposed to its normal water-cannon pressure.
Ashawn, a third-grader at Osage School in Voorhees, said his favorite part of the day was a “sneak attack” he pulled on firefighter Roger “Chicken” Miller.
“I call him ‘Chicken’ because he’s a big chicken,” Ashawn said. “We joke around a lot. I think it’s funny.”
Coppolino, whom the honorary firefighter calls “Big Al,” says he hopes the fire crew can continue visiting VPF for many years.
“A lot of the kids are in really tough situations, and this is something they really look forward to,” he said.
Since its inception in 1982, VPF has grown into a nationally recognized pediatric specialty care center, including 119 inpatient beds and the largest freestanding pediatric ventilator program in the nation, according to its Web site, www.forkidcare.com
The facility also is home to the Bancroft School, an on-site private school for children; Voorhees Pediatric Medical Day Care; and Voorhees Pediatric Rehabilitation Services, a subcontracting agency offering rehabilitative and medical services to a variety of community settings, including schools.
