Northampton Fire Department and Northampton Fire Police personnel were inducted into the prestigious Hall of Golden Deeds during the Northampton Exchange Club’s annual event, held Oct. 4 at the Northampton Banquet & Event Center.

Golden Deeds awards have been bestowed on individuals and organizations since 1977.

Keith Knoblach, borough fire chief, and Kenneth Hall, fire police captain, accepted the plaques from Wayne Mery, Exchange Club president-elect and master of ceremonies. Knoblach and Hall penned their names and the organizations in the club’s Book of Golden Deeds.

Mery said the two organizations are comprised of volunteers serving to protect the lives, safety and welfare of the borough and outside of the borders.

“They willingly are putting their own lives in danger by fighting fires, providing water and other rescue for people in danger, providing crowd control and vehicular safety in emergency situations,” he said.

Mery said no funds are used to pay any volunteer for his or her service. Fundraising by the fire department, he said, is applied to purchase equipment and the upkeep of the present fire trucks and other needs. There are approximately 40 volunteers with the fire department and 10 with the fire police.

The fire department and fire police responded to 162 medical emergencies, 221 fire incidents and 163 mutual aid calls in 2016. The two organizations are also involved in various community service programs.

Councilwoman Judy Kutzler said the two organizations attend mandatory training sessions on Mondays, respond to calls no matter the hour or day, regardless of weather, and “are second to none in the state.”