Avoca Hose Co. #1

08/17/2026

It is with heavy hearts that we share the passing of William “Bill” Powley Jr., a past Assistant Chief of Avoca who also previously served with the South Hornell Fire Department and the Canisteo Fire Department.

Bill held a degree in Fire Science and dedicated many years to protecting his communities. His knowledge, leadership, and commitment left a lasting impact on the departments and people he served.

He will be deeply missed by his fellow firefighters and all who knew him. Our thoughts and deepest condolences go out to Bill’s family and loved ones. May he rest in peace.

08/02/2026

Congratulations to Todd on passing his EMT certification exam! We are all very proud!🚑

04/30/2026

02/19/2026

The members of our department extend our deepest condolences to the family, friends, and members of the Atlanta Hatch Hose Company on the passing of Chief Nik Snyder.

Please keep his family and friends in your thoughts and prayers during this difficult time. Rest easy, Chief.

02/12/2026

It is with heavy hearts that we share the passing of our brother, David C. VerStraete, on February 5, 2026.

Dave dedicated more than 50 years to the fire service, including time right here at Avoca Hose Co. #1. His commitment and compassion left a lasting mark on our department and our community.

We extend our deepest condolences to Shirley and the entire VerStraete family.

Rest easy, Dave. Thank you for your years of service and brotherhood.

David was born on July 20th, 1952 and passed away on February 5th, 2026 at the age of 73

02/03/2026

The Avoca Hose Company would like to share and support the Spare Some Love fundraiser for the son of one of our own members.

When one of our fire family is facing a tough time, we come together — that’s what this community does best. Any support, whether it’s a donation, sharing this post, or keeping the family in your thoughts and prayers, truly means more than words can say.

Thank you for always standing behind our members and their families. ❤️🚒
Please consider helping if you are able.

💙 An Update on Stetson & Why Lucy Means Everything

Sunday evening, Stetson had a seizure that lasted about 20 minutes. He needed multiple doses of rescue medication before he finally came out of it. We were transported to Golisano Children’s Hospital, and while in the ER, he had another seizure lasting around 8 minutes. We were admitted early the next morning and met with Stetson’s incredible team of doctors to come up with a plan moving forward.

Because his seizures are clustering and lasting so long, Stetson is now on a daily seizure medication. The hard truth is that seizures like this can cause damage at any time, and that’s a scary reality for us as parents.

This is also exactly why Lucy is so important. We sent the clothes and blanket Stetson had during the seizures to Lucy’s trainer. Dogs can detect seizures because before one happens, the body gives off a specific scent that they can smell. Lucy will be trained to alert before a seizure, help guide Stetson to a safe place, and notify adults—teachers, family, or friends—so we can act quickly and keep him safe.

As Stetson gets older and more independent, this will especially be life-changing. And as a mom, it brings me so much peace knowing that even when I’m not with him, Lucy will be there—watching over him, protecting him, and helping keep him safe. That peace of mind is priceless.

🎳 Stetson’s Bowling Fundraiser is February 21st! 🎳
We encourage everyone to come out and support this amazing cause—even if you don’t want to bowl! We’ll have door prizes, raffles, free food, live music, and lots of fun.

If you cannot attend the event but are still interested in donating, our Venmo is available

From the bottom of our hearts, thank you to all of our family and friends who continue to support us, especially during the hard times. Every bit of love, support, and encouragement helps us get closer to our goal of bringing Lucy home as Stetson’s service dog—and changing his life for the better. 🐾💙