Logan Fire Chief is First Female Chief is Centre County PA History

Mar. 20—BELLEFONTE — Bobbi Salvanish has stood out in her decades-long career in the fire service.

For her compassion. For her willingness to listen. For her ability to lead. For her interpersonal skills. For her work ethic. And because she is the first woman to be voted fire chief of the Logan Fire Company.

The volunteer department has been around since 1870. The Civil War ended just five years prior, there were only 37 states and Christmas was not yet declared a federal holiday.

Salvanish, who is also believed to be the first female chief at any volunteer fire department in Centre County, was elected to the position in December. The Bellefonte native oversees more than two dozen firefighters — including a half-dozen women — and serves as a humble role model for young girls and women with big dreams.

"Don't let anybody tell you that you can't do something. You can do it," Salvanish said. "You may fail at first, but you stand up, brush yourself off and keep on working hard. There is absolutely nothing that they can't do."

Salvanish, 46, is part of a rare sorority. Only 11% of volunteer firefighters in the United States are women, according to the nonprofit National Fire Protection Association, a number that doesn't outline how many make it to a high-ranking position.

She comes from a family of firefighters and is the daughter of a trailblazer. Her late mother, Patricia DeHaas, was one of the first two female firefighters to join the fire department that her daughter now leads. DeHaas joined in the early 1970s.

Her late father, William Grafmyre, was also a Logan firefighter. Her two brothers volunteer at the nearby Undine Fire Company. Salvanish's day job is working at Keystone Payroll.

Salvanish recounted spending numerous hours at the fire department when she was as young as 5 years old. She estimated spending at least four days a week the firehouse, participating in everything from bingo nights to carnivals.

She joined the department in June 2001. The 21-year veteran previously served as recording secretary, firefighter, captain and assistant chief before her journey brought everything full circle.

"I'm proud to be chief. I'm proud of the organization. I must have done something right somewhere along the line for people to feel that I can hold this position," Salvanish said. "I don't think of myself any higher; I don't expect somebody to call me chief, but they do."

Few have served in the field longer than Logan Fire Company Vice President F. Tom Hand, whose 56-year career has spanned Pennsylvania and Arizona. He was effusive in his praise for Salvanish, saying she can "put most in here to shame."

Hand described Salvanish as a woman willing to go out of her way to make the lives of others better. Leadership skills? "She's got 'em," Hand said.

She's also a very skilled firefighter who's qualified and unafraid to handle just about any task thrown her way, Hand and Logan Fire Company President Paul Kline said.

Watching her flourish, Hand said, has "been a real pleasure." That's something those closest to Salvanish seem to agree on.

"My mom would be ecstatic if she knew I was chief. She was my biggest fan," Salvanish said. "... She would be very proud of me. My dad would be proud of me also, but like I said, my mom was my biggest fan. When I became an assistant chief and she would talk, she would just glow — 'My daughter's an assistant chief. She can drive a fire engine.' She would definitely be proud of me."

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