What makes a hero? It’s not wearing a cape or performing super-human feats. It’s in the everyday: heroes meet life’s challenges with courage and kindness. They work each day to help others. No matter what the conditions are, they show up ready to work. Heroes don’t look for accolades because they are focused on service. Serving others is the reward.
We talked to three Berks Countians who spend their days and nights helping people and pets. Each one is dedicated, hard-working, and committed to doing their best. They shared their inspirations and offered suggestions on how we can get involved, too.
John D. Eisenhard
Volunteer Firefighter
“Knowing that we can and have made a difference for a person or family means so much.” John D. Eisenhard, 49, is a volunteer firefighter with Mt. Penn Fire Company. A Commonwealth of Pennsylvania State Police Dispatcher, he lives in Lower Alsace Township.
“I think anybody in the public safety field would tell you ‘it’s in their blood.’” Eisenhard’s father was also a firefighter with Mt. Penn. “I was about five when a nearby house caught fire, and I stood on the corner for a few hours watching the firemen work to put the fire out. My dad was my first hero and inspiration to become a firefighter.”
Eisenhard is one of 40 volunteers with Mt. Penn Fire Company. As 2nd Deputy Fire Chief, Eisenhard serves as an officer in charge of the company on a call. In 2018, Mt. Penn had well over 500 calls, the most in department history, including vehicle crashes, house fires and requests for assisting the ambulance, public works and police. The fire department helps remove water from flooded homes, rescues people trapped in vehicles, and gives fire station tours.
Firefighter training courses are divided into modules totaling more than 170 hours of classroom and hands-on instruction. Courses are taught at the Berks County Fire Training Center. “Most departments have weekly training nights on such things as ground ladders, using hose lines or using self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA),” explains Eisenhard.
With more than 33 years’ experience, Eisenhard has helped to rescue many people. One of his most memorable rescues happened when he was just 18. He recalls, “A young man lost control of his vehicle and crashed into Antietam Creek. We had to haul our tools over the side and down the bank to remove the roof and doors to get him out, all while standing in the water. He made a complete recovery. I was just so proud to have been part of the team that made that possible.”
In another accident, a car hit a pole and broke into two pieces. “He [the driver] was trapped in the driver’s seat with part of the car’s body literally wrapped around his lower leg,” Eisenhard remembers. “This part of the car was also directly under the sheared-off pole.” Working in hot, humid, 90+ degree weather, “crews had to stabilize the pole first for safety and then work for another 30 minutes in full gear to remove the car from his leg.”
Teamwork is important for firefighters. Explains Eisenhard, “It can be a quick encouraging word, helping to pull a hose line down a hallway or around a corner, getting a needed piece of equipment from the truck, setting up extra ladders, or just lending an extra set of hands to move a patient.”
For someone interested in volunteering, “Most departments have one night per week where they meet at the station to do some type of training, which will give you a chance to meet new people and look over the equipment as well.” Eisenhard adds, “There are many areas besides firefighting where fire companies need help, such as fundraising, fire policing, bookkeeping and maintenance on the station or trucks.”
Mt. Penn Fire Company
2711 Grant St., Reading
610.779.6723
Michael Jacobson
National Registry Paramedic
“It’s my job to meet people when they’re having the worst day of their life.”
As a National Registry Paramedic, Michael Jacobson, 28, emphasizes the importance of professionalism and confidence, no matter how difficult the situation. “I’ve been on many bad accidents, cut people out of cars, held pressure on a stab wound or a gunshot, carried unconscious patients from their houses, and comforted loved ones,” Jacobson says.
A resident of Exeter Township, Jacobson works for Southern Berks Regional EMS, the second largest EMS company in Berks. With 50 staff members, SBREMS covers 6,000-7,000 calls per year, the third-largest call volume in the county.
To become a paramedic, Jacobson first completed a six-month program to become an EMT. After 1-2 years of experience as an EMT, the next step was a year of Paramedic School. He explains, “My program consisted of 800 hours in the classroom, 1,000 hours in the field, and 500 hours in the hospital working in the ER, the NICU, and medical/surgical ICUs. To graduate, you must successfully pass both a cognitive and practical examination.”
Jacobson primarily works 24-hour shifts. When he reports at 6am, he starts his day with a “rig check,” or inventory of the ambulance. “We go through all the medications, equipment and supplies to make sure we have everything we need for the shift,” he says. When he is not out on a 911 call, he might transport a patient to a specialist. During down time, he works on paperwork, continuing education courses, or other station duties. Overnight, he rests between emergency calls.
“What keeps me motivated is when I get to actually see the difference I make in other peoples’ lives. Knowing that my interventions directly improved someone’s life and lifestyle is a very rewarding feeling to me.”
“I’ve had several cardiac arrest saves in my career,” Jacobson says. After finishing a shift, Jacobson received an alert about a cardiac arrest nearby. He returned to the station and joined the crew in the ambulance. It was a challenging situation. “We did CPR on him for probably 45 minutes, defibrillated him maybe 10 times, and threw just about every medication we had at him. Finally, after all of us were nearly exhausted, we managed to get a pulse back. We lost him twice more on the way to the hospital and got him back in the ER entrance. Miraculously, he was able to make a full recovery and get home to his wife and children.”
As the leader, it’s Jacobson’s job to delegate responsibilities and ensure the EMS personnel work as a team. “Communication is our biggest tool on a scene,” he says.
When the EMS team is not on call, they participate in CPR training and community days. Says Jacobson, “I enjoy helping the children into the ambulance and showing them that they don’t have to be afraid to call us or ask us for help.”
For people interested in a career in emergency medicine, Jacobson says, “Come ride on the ambulance with me! That will give you a real-life understanding of everything we do.”
Southern Berks Regional EMS
769 Mountain View Rd., Reading
610.775.1041
Susie Olson
Founding Member, Berks Dog Search
“We provide guidance to owners. We’re not experts; we’re volunteers. We’re confident in what we do.” Susie Olson, 66, is a founding member of Berks Dog Search. A retired secretary, she has five dogs and lives in Ruscombmanor Township.
Six years ago, Olson was helping to look for Finley, a missing service dog. She met Linda Sarangoulis, another person passionate about helping dogs and their owners. Along with Elissa Pinkerton and Michele Rauenzahn, Susie recalls, “we said we should do something for lost and found dogs in Berks County.” Berks Dog Search was born. Six months later, Diane Sereny joined the team. Tracey Walter became an essential volunteer last year.
Berks Dog Search is a local Facebook page run exclusively by volunteers using their own funds. They list about 10-20 dogs each week. For lost cats, Berks County Cat Search is a sister page run by Anne Hummel-Wagner, Tina Swartzendruber and Heather Sustello.
“Our page actually does a lot of reuniting,” says Olson. When a dog goes missing, owners post detailed information and a photo on Berks Dog Search. Sereny shares the information all over Facebook, tagging local vets and community pages. People who find a dog use the page to post information. Owners with missing pets should also call the local police, the Humane Society of Berks County, and the Animal Rescue League.
Dogs get out for many reasons. Asserts Olson, “We don’t judge. We go from the point of exit and we help.” Olson follows up with owners by phone to alleviate anxieties and give instructions. If the dog is not home after one day, she provides flyers and materials. The flyers should be posted where the dog was last seen.
When a lost dog is sighted or if an owner needs help posting flyers, Olson and Sereny often go out at all hours. “Dogs get scared. Even after one to two nights a dog goes into ‘flight and fright mode.’ They may not respond to their owner. It’s heartbreaking.” When a dog is sighted, Olson prefers owners try calling the dog. If the dog is too skittish to come, they use live humane traps. When a trap is set, they use a Wi-Fi trail camera to keep watch.
Olson loves reuniting owners and pets. One of the group’s longest rescues occurred over 78 days and four snowstorms. “We didn’t have sightings for over two months. All of a sudden, we had three sightings on the same road,” she remembers. The dog was successfully trapped and went home.
Sandy Kriebel’s dog, Lil, was missing for 10 days. “If it hadn't been for Susie and the Berks Dog Search community, there’s a good chance I would not have found Lil. She was a very skittish dog and didn't trust anyone. Susie was there to help day and sometimes night, if I needed. Someone who received a mailbox flyer spotted her in their back yard and called me. That led to us being able to catch her. We are truly fortunate to have a group like Berks Dog Search who are willing to give so much of their own time to help dog owners.”
Join the group on Facebook: Berks Dog Search
