Meet Our Firefighters

Meet Glen Bronson: The Guy Who's Already Here When You Need Him

Most people know Union Fire Association exists. Fewer know that when a call comes in at 10am on a Tuesday, there's already a trained firefighter at the station, geared up and ready to roll before the volunteers have even gotten the alert on their phones.

That's Glen.

Glen Bronson has been a career firefighter for eleven years, the last four of them right here at Station 28 on Montgomery Avenue. He grew up in the area, went through fire training in his early twenties, and hasn't looked back. "This is what I wanted to do," he says. "I can't really explain it better than that."

His shift starts early. By the time most of Bala Cynwyd is making coffee, Glen has already checked the apparatus, reviewed overnight reports, and run through equipment. It's not glamorous work, but it's the kind of work that means the truck leaves the bay in under a minute when the tones drop.

UFA is what's called a combination department, meaning career staff like Glen work alongside volunteer firefighters. It's a model that works well here. The career staff provide the guaranteed daytime baseline, the volunteers bring depth and surge capacity, and together they cover the community around the clock. Glen is quick to credit the volunteers. "These people give up their time, their weekends, sometimes their sleep. I have a lot of respect for that."

When he's not on a call, Glen is often training, whether that's working through scenarios with newer volunteers, keeping his own certifications current, or just walking through the building checking things that most people would never notice need checking. The job is quieter than television makes it look, and he's fine with that. Quiet means the neighborhood is okay.

If you've ever driven past the firehouse and seen someone out front checking a truck or washing down the bay, there's a decent chance that's Glen. He probably won't wave first. But if you stop and say hello, he'll talk to you all day about the job.

That's the kind of person keeping watch over your street.

Union Fire Association has been protecting Bala Cynwyd and Merion since 1903. To support the career and volunteer firefighters who serve our community, visit station28.org/donate.