Emergency crews battled a blaze that forced the closure of LVH-Dickson City last week. Now, the hospital is giving a little something back to those who saved it.

DICKSON CITY, Pa. — It was the work of dozens of emergency crews coming together that led to 77 patients being safely removed from the Lehigh Valley Hospital Dickson City, with most of the building being saved, too. 

“Once they were unable to control the fire in the medical office building, they switched to defensive mode and really protected the hospital, and it really saved our building,” Jefferson Health CEO Joseph Cacchione says. 

Now, the owners of that building decided to show those first responders a token of their appreciation with a meal.

“It’s not often that we do receive a thank you. A lot of people think that we’re a paid fire department, we’re not, we’re all volunteer her,e and for us to get recognized for the work we do, it makes you feel good,” Chief Rich Chowanec of Eagle Hose Company No. 1 says.

“We look at it as it’s what we do, we’re all volunteers here, and it’s like our hobby,” says Chief Alec Shattin of Volunteer Hose Co. of Throop. 

Firefighters weren’t the only first responders at the hospital fire last Wednesday. State and local police helped remove hospital patients and staff from the building.

“It was such a large scale of dealing with 77 people, getting them out of an active fire zone, it was a first for us. So, it’s appreciated to hear back and that they appreciated what we did,” says Chief William Bilinski of Dickson City Police Department. 

“It’s nice that they recognize that, the hard work that these people do every day, it’s not just when something bad happens, it’s a daily sacrifice first responders make, and it’s good for everybody to enjoy this and just be part of it,” says Captain Michael Walsh of the Pennsylvania State Police.

Because of that hard work, the CEO of Jefferson Health says he hopes the hospital’s parts can open soon.

“We do about 35, 40 thousand ER visits a year there, we’re trying to get the er back up and some inpatient beds, so we’re working hard to get that back up in the next couple of weeks,” says Cacchione.