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Junior Fire Chief Successful in Quest for ‘Jaws of Life’

PLYMOUTH, Pa. — Five weeks ago, we told you about a 10-year-old junior fire chief with a lemonade stand in Luzerne County on a mission to raise enough mon...

PLYMOUTH, Pa. -- Five weeks ago, we told you about a 10-year-old junior fire chief with a lemonade stand in Luzerne County on a mission to raise enough money to buy his fire company in Plymouth the Jaws of Life.

After overcoming a few obstacles, the young firefighter has completed his mission.

Jr. Fire Chief Brian Lyons has been very busy. In July, he started his mission to raise enough money with his lemonade stand to purchase a lifesaving tool for the Elm Hill Hose Company in Plymouth.

"He's been selling lemonade and he sold 9,500 cups. I guess you could total it, too, in hopes just to get a Jaws of Life for his station," said Brian's mom Linda Uren.

Through a Facebook page, donations from the community, and his lemonade stand, Brian was within $2,000 of his goal. This week, the company that makes the tool decided to give it to him in good faith while he raised the rest of the money.

"It's exciting," said Uren. "I don't think it hit us yet, but he's been working really hard for it."

After seeing Brian's dedication, one company in the Back Mountain of Luzerne County decided to donate the remaining balance.

"He pleaded, you know, for $1.60 from everybody watching his page and he would have met the goal, so you kind of want to help people watch themselves, so we sat back a little bit but we were not letting him go in without making his goal. He deserved this and he did this for his department," said Brenda Pugh of AMP Global Strategies.

Now it's just a waiting game until the tool arrives and Brian can add it to the list of other equipment he's helped purchase for the department.

Brian said he wants to name the new tool "Heatwave."

Brian had to jump a few hurdles to get to this point. Some folks complained to local authorities that he didn't have proper permits to operate a stand. Now, legislation is in the works in Harrisburg to make sure kids like Brian can do things like this for their community.

Brian's mother is proud he hasn't let anything stop him.

"Brian has autism and never let it hold him back from, you know, doing what he wants to do. When it gets on his mind, he wants to do it," Uren said.

"What's he's doing with his efforts is bring the whole community together and we couldn't be more proud of him for what he's accomplished and I think this is just the tip of the iceberg for him," Scott Cannon said.

 

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