William “Pop” Winters, 76, died on October 11, 1997, after he collapsed while on the scene of an active fire and investigation at the High Energy Corporation in West Sadsbury Township, Parkesburg Pennsylvania. Firefighters and EMS personnel from Parkesburg and Atglen Fire Companies treated Pop. They rushed him to Brandywine Hospital, but Pop did not recover. William “Pop” Winters was a legendary Chester County Fire Marshal who taught hundreds of men and women to battle fires and investigate what caused them. Pop’s early years as Chester County Fire Marshal started in 1959 and was volunteer until it became a fully paid position in 1976. His career was not limited to the Fire Marshal’s office, Pop’s career started in 1934 at age 13 with the Atglen Fire Company. He served as a Driver/Engineer and then Fire Chief of the Valley Forge Hospital Fire Department, he also served as Fire Chief of the Atglen Fire Company from 1937 to 1949 the Pomeroy Fire Company Fire Chief for four years and returned to Atglen as Fire Chief from 1961 to 1966. Pop’s more than six decades of experience in the fire service lives on through the many firefighters and emergency first responders that he taught and mentored.
William “Pop” Winters is also honored at the Keystone Valley Fire Department’s Fallen Firefighters Memorial located in Parkesburg, Pennsylvania 2019.
Honoree
William “Pop” Winters
LODD October 11, 1997
Atglen Fire Company No.1
William “Pop” Winters, 76, Died on October 11, 1997 after collapsing while on the scene of an active fire and investigation at the High Energy Corporation in West Sadsbury Township, Parkesburg Pennsylvania. Firefighters and EMS personnel from Parkesburg and Atglen fire companies treated Pop and rushed him to Brandywine Hospital but Pop did not recover. William “Pop” Winters was a legendary Chester County Fire Marshal who taught hundreds of men and women to battle fires and investigate what caused them. Pop’s early years as Chester County Fire Marshal started in 1959 and was volunteer until it became a fully paid position in 1976. His career was not limited to the Fire Marshal’s office, Pop’s career started in 1934 at age 13 with the Atglen Fire Company. He served as a Driver/Engineer and then Fire Chief of the Valley Forge Hospital Fire Department, he also served as Fire Chief of the Atglen Fire Company from 1937 to 1949 the Pomeroy Fire Company Fire Chief for four years and returned to Atglen as Fire Chief from 1961 to 1966. Pop’s more than six decades of experience in the fire service live on through the many firefighters and emergency first responders that he taught and mentored.
William “Pop” Winters is also Honored at the Keystone Valley Fire Departments Fallen Firefighters Memorial located in Parkesburg, Pennsylvania 2019.
– C. Timothy Reynolds