The Gratz Area Fire Company #1 protects citizens in the municipalities of Gratz Borough and Lykens Township in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania. Gratz Borough, an area of 3.0 square miles, had a population of 676 in the 2000 Census. Lykens Township, an area of 26.4 square miles, had a population of 1,095 in the 2000 Census. The area is located approximately 35 miles north of the City of Harrisburg. Th
e Gratz Borough-Lykens Township area is a community with many different occupancies. Gratz is the headquarters of Metal Industries Windows and Doors, one of America's most respected manufacturers of vinyl, aluminum, and composite window and door products. Lykens Township serves as home to several lumber mills and a Wenger Feeds mill. Several churches are spread out through the Gratz Borough-Lykens Township Area. Sky Vu Drive-In also calls Gratz Borough home, the only drive-in movie theater in Dauphin County. At the intersection of Route 25 and Crossroads Road in Lykens Township, you can find the Crossroads Auction on Friday nights, an attraction for people from all surrounding areas who come to buy fresh produce and other food products. During the third week of September every year, Gratz is also home to the Great Gratz Fair, which has been an annual event since 1873. he Gratz Area Fire Company #1 carries the designation of Company 27 in Dauphin County. The firehouse, Station 27, was built in 1947-48 on South Center Street in Gratz Borough. The GAFC #1 responds to various types of incidents ranging from structure fires to vehicle accidents and hazardous materials spills to technical rescues. On average, all of these incidents add up to approximately 70 annually. The company provides mutual aid to multiple other departments including but not limited to Berrysburg, Pillow, Klingerstown, Sacramento, and Lykens. The GAFC has reached the 10% certification level through the Pennsylvania State Fire Academy, meaning 10% of the active firemen have reached at least one level of certification recognized by the PSFA. Station 27 currently operates three types of apparatus to handle emergencies and incidents that occur in the area - a pumper, a water tanker, and a rescue-pumper. The pumper, also called an engine, can seat 6 firemen and primarly responds to incidents that require fire suppression. The pumper also carries ladders and other equipment so that it can perform search and rescue and other duties on the scene of a fire. The water tanker, usually just called tanker, can seat 2 firemen and it's primary purpose is to provide water at the scene of a fire in a rural setting where there are no fire hydrants. The rescue-pumper, called a rescue, seats 5 firemen and truly is a multi-purpose apparatus. The main responsibility of the rescue-pumper is to respond to vehicle accidents and other incidents including techincal rescues and medical calls. The rescue-pumper carries an abundance of rescue equipment, but also has a fire pump like the pumper, and therefore carries fire suppression equipment as well. At the scene of a fire, the rescue-pumper can act as a true pumper or it can perform search and rescue, smoke ventilation, or many other other tasks. The Gratz Area Fire Company #1 is a 100% volunteer fire department, one of 36 volunteer departments in Dauphin County. The company relies on volunteers to respond to emergencies, help with fundraisers, educate the public on fire safety, and many other things.
