It was 60 years ago this month that Richard “Dick” Frank became a member of the Massena Volunteer Fire Department. And now, 60 years later, the 86-year-old is still responding to calls. Not all of them, but still, about 100 calls so far this year.
Mr. Frank was recognized for his service to the department during this year’s Fire Prevention Week banquet.
“It went by in a hurry,” he said.
He said he didn’t apply to become a firefighter, but he ended up on the roster.
“I actually didn’t even put my application in here, My brother-in-law did, Howard Brouse. He was the chief,” Mr. Frank said. The department’s charter required them to have 63 members, a requirement that still exists today, although all of them aren’t active.
“When I got in, you put your name in and you went to the bottom of the list and if somebody got out, the top guy got in. The list wasn’t long. But not a lot of guys got into the fire department. They stayed in there forever,” he said.