Arnoldsville Fire Chief Heath Baker remembers Keith Hardman’s attention to detail when the department first thought about getting a flagpole for the fire station. A retired Navy pilot, Hardman always made sure the Stars and Stripes flew true.
Brian Ponder, Hardman’s son-in-law, and nephew Josh Robinson raised the flag for the first time on the department’s new flagpole on June 1, this time with a new sign underneath, dedicating the pole to Hardman, who died in October 2022.
“He wanted to make sure we’d done everything correctly,” Baker said. “We couldn’t think of a better way to honor Keith than to dedicate the sign and flagpole out front to his name.”
The Arnoldsville Volunteer Fire Department honored Hardman and two other firefighters who recently died — Tim “Weasel” Faust and John Knack — in a ceremony on Saturday.
Baker remembered how Hardman was “proud to have served his country” as a Navy pilot and how he would occasionally tell stories at department gatherings. After retiring from the Navy, Hardman served his community as a member of the American Legion and a volunteer firefighter.
“He was a friend to everybody. He would help everybody,” said Colleen Hardman, Keith’s wife of 46 years. “He would say, ‘That’s what God put me on this earth for, and that’s what I’m gonna do,’ and he did.”
In addition to dedicating the flagpole to Hardman, the department held a push-in ceremony, where the firefighters pushed their new truck into the bay to officially put it into service. The new truck, Rescue 11, was dedicated to Faust.
The department received a grant for the new truck just months after Faust’s death. Baker said he was a part of the core group that helped decide what the department needed in a new truck.
“Everyone around (the community) knew ‘Weasel,’ ” Baker said. “Them knowing that this truck is in his memory and seeing it going up and down the road is just going to make everybody feel good and give them a good memory.”
Baker remembered Faust as someone he could count on if he ever needed help “in or outside of the department,” and his impact will be missed.
“I don’t think a meeting goes by that his name doesn’t get brought up,” Baker said. “Something he did or something he said is always brought up. That’s how much of an impact he had.”
Since becoming chief, Baker has wanted to implement an annual “Firefighter of the Year” award to be given to a member of the department for outstanding service.
On Saturday, the department honored Knack by dedicating a new award in his name. The John F. Knack Firefighter of the Year award will be given out at the department Christmas party every December.
Knack was a member of the department for the shortest time of the three men honored, but Baker said in his 12 months as an Arnoldsville firefighter, he had the largest impact.
Knack had been a paid firefighter and paramedic earlier in his life.
In October 2020, while driving home one day, he came across an accident. After helping the person in the car, Baker said it “stirred something” in Knack, and he wanted to join the fire department again.
“He was elated. He was so happy,” said Melissa Koscinski, Knack’s girlfriend. “He wanted to help people. That was his passion.”
Hardman, Faust and Knack were all remembered for their passion for helping people. Baker said none of them would have wanted the kind of recognition they received.
“All three of those guys just wanted to do their thing,” Baker said. “None of them would have wanted that much attention brought to them.”
Faust and Knack were both active at the time of their death, so their radio numbers — 11-03 and 11-15 — will be retired by the department.
“All three had a great impact on the department as members,” Baker said. “They left a huge void in the department when they passed, but with these dedications, the department hopes that their memory will live on.”