America’s Longest Serving Firefighter Passes Away

John Doster Sr. was always ready when his community needed him.

The 95-year-old Levittown resident, who was the longest serving firefighter in the United States, passed away early Thursday after an undisclosed illness.

Doster began fighting fires as a teenager in Bristol Township and moved through the ranks all the way up to chief of the Edgely Fire Company. Up until this winter, Doster was commonly spotted serving as a fire policeman at emergency incidents.

Aside from taking a few years off to fight the Nazi’s in North Africa during World War II, Doster had been a stable presence at the Edgely Fire Company since he joined at 15.

“(The) firehouse was just across from the school and when the whistle blew, the principal of the school would chase us out to go push the truck to get it started. And a couple times, we jumped on and went to the fire,” Doster told 6abc in 2008.

Doster raised two children – one the former chief of the Edgely Fire Company – with his wife, Lydia, who passed away in the 1980s. Throughout his life, he worked as a plumber, carpenter, crane operator, truck driver and farmer.

The lifelong public servant was always ready to help, local emergency officials said Thursday afternoon.

“At 96 years old, he ran circles around men half his age.  His history of service as a volunteer is unparalleled. He was the epitome of consistency, competency, and courtesy,” Acting Bristol Township Chief of Police Ralph Johnson said. “The standard he set as a gentlemen and a volunteer is an example to all emergency service responders.”

Sgt. Chuck Burns, who is currently serving as an acting lieutenant, noted Doster’s “amazing dedication to the people of Bristol Township.”

The dedication Burns spoke of was clear over the decades of service Doster gave.

“Chief Doster had a passion and commitment to the volunteer fire service and the citizens of this area that was unsurpassed and clearly demonstrated by his 80 years of service,” Bristol Township Fire Marshal Kevin Dippolito said.

The acting police chief recalled Doster’s recent service at the fatal collapse of a concrete storage unit along the Delaware River in Bristol Township.

“During the recent collapse at the Silvi site, John refused to leave his fire police post to get a coffee and pork roll, egg, and cheese sandwich for himself.  For the first time since I’ve known him, he allowed me to get something for him.”

In 2008, Doster was awarded the National Volunteer Fire Council’s (NVFC) Lifetime Achievement Award for his service. It’s the not the first award he has received. Following an injury in World War II, he received a Purple Heart from the government and has been honored with many firefighting-related awards throughout his distinguished career.

While being interviewed by a TV reporter several years back, Doster said, “I’ll still help people ’till the day I drop down.”

Up until a few years ago, Doster was responding to 90 percent of Edgely’s calls.

“When the whistle goes off, I just come out to do my job,” current Edgely Fire Company Chief Carl Peirce recalled Doster saying.

The chief said Doster’s loss is a major blow for the volunteer fire company, one that has the feeling of one large family.

“The guys at Edgely have been phenomenal with my grandfather,” John, Doster’s grandson, said.

Almost always wearing his safety gear and driving his pickup truck with an emergency light, Doster was a fixture at emergency scenes.

All those who spoke of Doster on Thursday, talked about his dedication, years of service and respect for the community.

“It was truly amazing that this man was in his 90’s and still got out of bed, even on the coldest nights, to respond to calls,” Dippolito said. “He will be sadly missed.”

For Doster’s family, the loss hits hardest.

“He’s one in a million. I don’t think we’ll ever see that again,” his grandson John said, adding his grandfather wasn’t afraid to tell him when he was doing things the wrong way.

“I ascribe to be like him.”

Video of Doster in 1958: