It's 3 a.m.

The buzzing of a pager wakes up a sleeping husband and wife. A few minutes later, a siren blares from a fire hall, breaking the quiet, calm night.

The man, a volunteer firefighter, jumps from his bed, rushes to get ready and runs through the door to his vehicle.

For the wife of a volunteer firefighter, this is a common but worrisome routine.

"You never know when it's going to happen," said Stephanie Saunders of Portersville. "You never prepare."

Saunders' husband, Tim, is chief of the Portersville-Muddy Creek Township Volunteer Fire Department. He is often one of the last members of the department to leave the scene of a fire or accident.

"It's exciting, yet frustrating," she said. "You never know when he's going to come home."

Tim has been a volunteer firefighter for 15 years and the chief for eight years. Stephanie said with her husband's position, there are still worries even though he doesn't usually have to enter a burning structure.

"There's a major worry on big scenes," she said. "But he's the chief, so he's not going in there (into fires)."

Angie Rice, a member of the

Cranberry Township Volunteer Fire Company's ladies auxiliary,

said she always worries when her husband Todd goes on a call.

Todd has been with the fire company for 11 years and is currently the chief.

"It's kind of scary," Angie said. "You hope and pray nothing happens. I'm so proud of him. He's saving someone's life in the long run."

Ruth Nanna, also a member of the Cranberry auxiliary, said the firefighters give up time with families to help their community. Her husband Lee has been involved with the Cranberry fire department for 13 years. He is a firefighter and a rescue officer.

"It's emotional," said Ruth. "As volunteers, they're leaving families to do this."

And this could come at anytime, holidays included, as incidents do not schedule for time off.

Ruth said she has experienced an interruption in everything from shopping outings to New Year's celebrations.

Ruth remembered an occasion when her husband received a call while they were in the car. With him immediately responding to the call, she said she was holding on and riding "white-knuckled" as he rushed to the scene.

She said times such as these are an adrenaline rush for her.

But with the threat of danger, there also comes a common bond. Connected by a sense of duty and service to their communities, families of volunteer firefighters turn to each other for support.

"There is always someone around," Stephanie Saunders said. "It's a 50-member family."

Saunders' ties to firefighters run deep. Her father, two uncles, an aunt and her sister have all been involved with volunteer fire companies.

When the fire companies respond to a fire or accident call, the three women said they are usually on hand to aid the firefighters. This can entail anything from providing drinking water and food for the firefighters to helping with fire equipment. Stephanie said she has even been an "extra" firefighter on occasion.

Aside from fighting fires, the companies also play a vital community role. Angie and Ruth said their auxiliary helps with events like Memorial Day services, Easter parties, Fourth of July events and breakfast with Santa during the Christmas season.

"The girls here are known for helping out," Ruth said. "By being in the auxiliary, we're standing behind (the firefighters)."