There’s a type of friend you call when things really go sideways. These days, It’s hard enough to find someone who’ll answer the phone, let alone someone who’s actually going to show up. If it’s a chaotic situation you’re in, you’re probably looking for a calming presence. What if you’re faced with a tragedy? What if you need someone to get your back? What about someone to help carry a burden? What if it’s everything, all at once? Great friends are immeasurably valuable. In fact, they’re so rare that the guy you count on is probably counted on by a bunch of your buddies, too. We all need somebody to lean on and not everybody is able to support the weight.
Keeping Friends Close
DiamondBack’s home of Philipsburg, Pennsylvania is a small town (pop. 2780) surrounded by a dozen or so even smaller towns. In this area, we understand the value of a good friend, a good neighbor. Life in a small town can change on a dime, and it's comforting to know that help lies just past the tree line. Even better to know that those helping hands are prepared for anything. Many of our community's first responders are volunteers who serve other important roles in our community as well. Several work on DiamondBack’s team, each one of them a smiling servant inside and outside of our walls. There are an estimated 4.6 million first responders currently serving in the United States. We know and thank the ones in our town by name.
On Their Shoulders
Emergency workers carry a seemingly impossible burden for society. Often, they’re called to the scene of a person’s worst nightmare and must act decisively to restore order. They’re asked to be selflessly brave when anyone in their right mind would be terrified. They provide crystal clear communication when nothing’s clear at all, they give calm to chaos, and then they’re asked to leave it behind and get to the next call. 1 in 3 first responders will develop PTSD or depression as a result of their work and most will keep it to themselves.
Pride In The Few
Just minutes away from our shop, in the town of Houtzdale, PA, our production scheduler, Trey Siegfried, serves as a volunteer firefighter. We talked to Trey about his company’s resources and efforts and our eyes were opened to the need facing fire companies across the country. They have equipment, there just aren’t enough volunteers to go around.
“When I started as a 14 year old, we’d go out with full trucks every single call. Now, we may have three guys running out in a truck. It’s nothing like it was.” - Trey Siegfried, Houtzdale Fire Company
Next time you see responders on a scene, or a fire truck going out shorthanded, say an extra thank you. They answered the phone. Then they did what so few do. They decided to show up.
