Schuylkill County First Responders welcomed home a soldier late Monday.
Joseph Recla, of Mahanoy Plane, is a Senior Airman of the United States Air Force who was deployed to Qatar in October of 2019 to provide security forces.
Recla was due home April 15th, 2020, but due to COVID-19, his return home was delayed that included a two week quarantine as a precaution.
After a long journey home, Recla returned to Schuylkill County with his mom and dad, Kathy and Rick, late Monday and was welcomed by his fellow first responders in front of his home in Mahanoy Plane. Recla and his family are active member of the Ranger's Hose Company in Girardville.
Girardville Mayor and fellow Ranger's Member Michael Zangari organized and contacted local fire departments to help welcome him home.
Over a dozen apparatus responded and waited in front of the Recla's home along Route 4030 on the west of Mahanoy Plane as Recla arrived just before 10:00pm.
Recla joked after getting out of his vehicle that he thought the building was on fire after seeing the fire trucks in front of his home.
"It's really nice to be home and thank you for coming out" Recla said.
Recla said the the first thing he wanted to do after returning home was to take a nap after being awake since 4:00am.
Apparatus who joined in the welcoming included the Ranger's Hose Co. and Girard Hose Co., from Girardville, Friendship Fire Company from Englewood, Goodwill Fire Co. from Frackville, Human Fire, Citizens Fire, and West End Fire from Mahanoy City, and Continental Fire from Gilberton.
Photos, Video, and Story by J. Reed
