Live-in firefighters share the ways they experience fire service
ADAMS TWP — The firefighters living at Jimmy Ellis Station 42 in the Adams Area Fire District get the best of the fire service experience — more training, more calls and more fun.
Nine volunteer firefighters live at Station 42 off Route 228 when they’re not responding to calls. The station has eight private rooms, a bunkroom with five beds and two laundry rooms.
At one point in 2025, there were 12 people living at the station, according to Capt. Taylor Goodlin, who joined the fire district in April 2018 and moved in just before the pandemic. He said new live-in members usually begin in the bunkroom and move to a private room when one becomes available.
“Whenever people ask what living in a firehouse is like, I kind of say it’s like living in a frat house where we ride fire trucks, said Dylan Iskl, who has lived at the station on and off for about seven years.
“We like to have fun, but whenever a call comes in, it’s like a switch,” he said. “You have to see it to believe it.”
The station is named for James “Jimmy” M. Ellis, Jr., the district’s vice president and life member who died in July 2022, at age 49, following an illness.
His son, Brady Ellis, who has lived at the station for a year and a half, compared the fire service to a team sport. He said the more calls they go on together, the more they learn each others strengths, weaknesses and preferences.
Iskl said the fewest number of firefighters he’s seen live at the fire station was four or five.
“That’s four to five guys getting out the door every night in less than 30 seconds after the bell goes off,” Iskl said.
Instead of bringing in college students, which Goodlin said live-in programs tend to attract, the nine firefighters who live in Station 42 work full-time jobs.
Living at the firehouse saves them money on rent and utilities, and the majority of their bills come from their own spending, including car and phone payments, groceries and laundry detergent.
“The money I’m making now, it wouldn’t be a whole lot to be able to actually rent a place out,” said Braden Fish, who has lived at the station for about two years. “It’s a great benefit to be able to live here and not to have to pay rent and utilities and stuff like that.”
Goodlin said the program typically attracts firefighters who want to begin a career in fire service but can’t sustain it with the volunteer status of most departments in the area. Goodlin and Fish are also firefighters for the city of McKeesport.
“A lot of the guys (there) appreciate it because they know we come in with a certain level of experience,” Fish said.
Cal McCaffrey, who has lived at the station for about eight months, works about 55 hours per week for Tolin Mechanical Systems. McCaffrey said he still clocks 40 to 60 hours per week with the department in addition to his full-time job.
He’ll often listen to the police scanner and follow along with the assignment his station is on while driving for work.
“Rather than just staffing, you get to actually be here all the time (and) be part of the brotherhood a little bit more,” McCaffrey said.
Being at the fire station all the time, the live-ins tend to go on more calls, which amplifies the connection they build living together.
“There’s some guys here that I don’t even have to look at and I know what they’re doing,” Iskl said. “They know what I’m doing.”
When the live-in firefighters aren’t working or on a call, they’re usually training. Goodlin said the station’s normal training nights are Tuesdays, but the live-ins conduct impromptu trainings, such as pulling hose lines and throwing ladders.
The fire station also has makeshift buildings with mannequins set up in the bay to practice rescues. There are three types of makeshift buildings set up to simulate different buildings they may respond to. Goodlin said brick buildings simulate the typical architecture of Mars, siding simulates a residential call, and cinderblock simulates commercial or industrial calls.
The mannequins they carry out of these buildings weigh 150 to 200 pounds, Goodlin said.
The live-in firefighters also casually hang out with each other by watching movies, throwing a football, playing with the firehouse dog named Chief or going out to dinner, but after each activity, they’re still expected to keep the place clean.
“We kind of always have the running saying here that no one’s mom is here to clean up after them,” Goodlin said.
The first few days of the new year didn’t bring many calls for Station 42, but the live-in firefighters made the best of it by bonding with each other.
“It’s definitely worth it if anyone is looking to do it … just take the jump,” Iskl said.
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Adams Area Fire District Station 42 hosts a live-in program where firefighters can live within the station Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Adams Area Fire District Station 42 hosts a live-in program where firefighters can live within the station Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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A wall at Adams Area Fire District Station 42 holds the names of all the firefighter who have graduated from their live-in program Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Dylan Iskl talks about his experience as a live-in firefighter at Adams Area Fire District Station 42 Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Firefighter Cal McCaffrey's bunker gear locker at Adams Area Fire District Station 42 Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Oxygen tanks are stored on racks at Adams Area Fire District Station 42 Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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The locker room at Adams Area Fire District Station 42 Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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The day room at the Adams Area Fire District Station 42 Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Firefighter James Ellis' bunker gear is displayed at Adams Area Fire District Station 42 in memory of him Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Firefighter Brady Ellis and Chief hang out in the garage at Adams Area Fire District Station 42 Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Firefighter Braden Fish discusses the general population bunk room at Adams Area Fire District Station 42 Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Adams Area Fire District Station 42 houses a gym for firefighters to use Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Dylan Iskl pets Chief the firehouse dog at Adams Area Fire District Station 42 Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Chief the fire house dog wears a dog-sized uniform at Adams Area Fire District Station 42 Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Firefighter Braden Fish shows off the bath and locker room at Adams Area Fire District Station 42 Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Firefighter Braden Fish talks about the different trucks they have at Adams Area Fire District Station 42 Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Firefighter Braden Fish shows of some of the rescue equipment kept in their at Adams Area Fire District Station 42 Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Firefighter Braden Fish discusses the training rooms where firefighters can practice drills in various room scenarios at Adams Area Fire District Station 42 Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Bunker gear and a Christmas tree sit in the center of the garage at Adams Area Fire District Station 42 Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Firefighter James Ellis' bunker gear is displayed at Adams Area Fire District Station 42 in memory of him Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Firefighters Braden Fish and Dylan Iskl talk about their work in the garage of Adams Area Fire District Station 42 Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Firefighter Brady Ellis stands with some of the trucks kept at Adams Area Fire District Station 42 Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Cal McCaffrey points to the screen that tracks weather conditions and calls at Adams Area Fire District Station 42 Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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A bulletin board full of patches from various fire companies adorns the wall of the day room at Adams Area Fire District Station 42 Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Firefighter Braden Fish opens one of the pantry doors where the firefighter's store food to cook at Adams Area Fire District Station 42 Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Firefighter Braden Fish discusses the board they use to track which firefighters are assigned to each truck at Adams Area Fire District Station 42 Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Firefighter Braden Fish discusses where the firefighter store their oxygen and refill their tanks at Adams Area Fire District Station 42 Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Firefighter Brady Ellis talks about the importance of staying physically and mentally fit for the demands of the job in the gym at Adams Area Fire District Station 42 Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Braden Fish plays with the firehouse dog Chief as he and his fellow firefighters live in the Jimmy Ellis Station 42 in the Adams Area Fire District on Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2026. Rob McGraw Butler Eagle
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Braden Fish works on evening laundry as he and his fellow firefighters live in the Jimmy Ellis Station 42 in the Adams Area Fire District on Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2026. Rob McGraw Butler Eagle
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Brady Ellis washes the firehouse emotional support dog, Chief, as firefighters live in the Jimmy Ellis Station 42 in the Adams Area Fire District on Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2026. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Brady Ellis washes the firehouse emotional support dog, Chief, as firefighters live in the Jimmy Ellis Station 42 in the Adams Area Fire District on Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2026. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Braden Fish works on evening laundry as he and his fellow firefighters live in the Jimmy Ellis Station 42 in the Adams Area Fire District on Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2026. Rob McGraw Butler Eagle
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Braden Fish puts dishes away as firefighters live in the Jimmy Ellis Station 42 in the Adams Area Fire District on Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2026. Rob McGraw Butler Eagle
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Braden Fish, right, puts dishes away as firefighters live in the Jimmy Ellis Station 42 in the Adams Area Fire District on Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2026. Rob McGraw Butler Eagle
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Taylor Goodlin removes pizza from the oven before a group training as firefighters live in the Jimmy Ellis Station 42 in the Adams Area Fire District on Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2026. Rob McGraw Butler Eagle
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Dyllan McGorty east pizza before a group training as firefighters live in the Jimmy Ellis Station 42 in the Adams Area Fire District on Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2026. Rob McGraw Butler Eagle
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Braden Fish plays with the firehouse dog Chief as he and his fellow firefighters live in the Jimmy Ellis Station 42 in the Adams Area Fire District on Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2026. Rob McGraw Butler Eagle
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Dyllan McGorty slides down the indoor slide in lieu of a pole as firefighters live in the Jimmy Ellis Station 42 in the Adams Area Fire District on Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2026. Rob McGraw Butler Eagle
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Braden Fish plays with the firehouse dog Chief as he and his fellow firefighters live in the Jimmy Ellis Station 42 in the Adams Area Fire District on Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2026. Rob McGraw Butler Eagle
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Brady Ellis works out in the well-equipped gym that has everything including barbells, dumbbells, stationary bikes, etc. to help keep the firefighters in shape as they live in the Jimmy Ellis Station 42 in the Adams Area Fire District on Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2026. Rob McGraw Butler Eagle
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Brady Ellis does a dead lift in the well-equipped gym that has everything including barbells, dumbbells, stationary bikes, etc. to help keep the firefighters in shape as they live in the Jimmy Ellis Station 42 in the Adams Area Fire District on Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2026. Rob McGraw Butler Eagle
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Brady Ellis works out in the well-equipped gym that has everything including barbells, dumbbells, stationary bikes, etc. to help keep the firefighters in shape as they live in the Jimmy Ellis Station 42 in the Adams Area Fire District on Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2026. Rob McGraw Butler Eagle
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Brady Ellis works out in the well-equipped gym that has everything including barbells, dumbbells, stationary bikes, etc. to help keep the firefighters in shape as they live in the Jimmy Ellis Station 42 in the Adams Area Fire District on Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2026. Rob McGraw Butler Eagle
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Brady Ellis does a dead lift in the well-equipped gym that has everything including barbells, dumbbells, stationary bikes, etc. to help keep the firefighters in shape as they live in the Jimmy Ellis Station 42 in the Adams Area Fire District on Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2026. Rob McGraw Butler Eagle
