On Thursday April 25th, 2024 at 7pm John McDevitt was recognized for his 45+ years of dedicated service to the residents of East Allen Township and the East Allen Township Volunteer Fire Department.
The Board of Supervisors and Township Manager presented John with Resolution 2024-002, the naming of the fire station driveway to “John McDevitt Way”, and dedicating the fire station as the “John McDevitt Fire Station”.
Representatives Zach Mako and Nick Miller also presented John with citations from the State.
Your leadership, expertise, and proactiveness has helped mold the department into what it is today.
We can’t thank you enough!
A thank you to our mutual aid departments that showed their support as well.
John was my immediate supervisor at the Allentown State Hospital (ASH) when I was their Fire Marshal. As a retired Allentown Fire Lieutenant, I had lots of experience in fighting fires but now I would do all the other things a fire department is tasked with such as Inspection, Prevention, and Education. I strongly believed, and still do, that this is where fire safety efforts pay the greatest dividends. John was a wealth of information, and provided much needed direction; not only navigating state codes, but teaching me the ins and outs of computer programs (PowerPoint) we used for annual training of staff in Fire Safety procedures AND to track inventory of extinguishers and for scheduling monthly, quarterly and annual ITM (Inspecting, testing and maintenance) of all fire safety devices such as wet & dry sprinkler systems, standpipe systems and hoses, detectors and alarm systems. From the few administrative meetings I sat in on I believe many sought and respected John's input as well. It is appropriate that John has a Fire Station, road and a Day that recognizes his astounding public service to East Allen Township; but let it also be known that John had his fingers on the pulse of the Allentown State Hospital's commitment to helping others; from working the 'Farm' with his animal husbandry degree, to his leadership in/of the Safety Department. He is regarded highly, I’m sure, by everyone that had the honor to have worked with him in the township and at ASH. Great Job John!
