The siren sounds, lights flash and the trucks roll out.

For members of the Edinboro Volunteer Fire Department, the call to serve never really stops. Now, thanks to a group of PennWest students, their story will be shared on the big screen.

Student filmmakers will debut “Station 38,” during the David Weinkauf Student Film Festival at 8 p.m. Thursday, May 7, in Louis C. Cole Auditorium – Memorial Hall. Created entirely by members of the university’s Moving Pictures Guild, the eight-minute film offers an inside look at the people behind the department and the commitment that defines their work.

“The documentary highlights the work the department does, how members balance their work and personal lives, the family-like bond within the department, and what they train for, including how they prepare for emergency situations,” said student producer and digital filmmaking and photography major Mary Gerace.

Through interviews with Chief Jason Dahle, Capt. Jim Dahle and Lt. Ryan Volz, the film captures both the intensity of emergency response and the quieter moments that reveal the department’s close-knit culture. The result is a portrait not only of service, but of community.

“The knowledge and dedication these students have for film is extraordinary,” said Jim Dahle, who serves as director of Safety and Risk Management at PennWest in addition to his leadership role at the Edinboro Volunteer Fire Department. “When they first contacted us about the idea, we weren’t sure what to expect; but they did an incredible job. They taught us things we never knew about film production, and we tried to teach them things about the fire service.”

The timeline was ambitious. The team began pre-production at the start of spring break and wrapped post-production just days ahead of the festival. Balancing coursework with an extracurricular film project added another layer of complexity — but also made the outcome more meaningful.

“Since everyone involved is a full-time student, and this was an extracurricular project, it was amazing to see how well everything came together,” said Gerace, who hails from Jamestown, New York.

Directed by Gerace’s classmate Rylie Miller, a digital filmmaking and photography major from Saltsburg, Pennsylvania, and supported by a crew of fellow Moving Pictures Guild members and officers, “Station 38” reflects both technical skill and a shared passion for storytelling. More importantly, it shines a light on a group of local volunteers whose work often goes unseen.

“Filmmaking is like any other muscle; the more you use it, the stronger it gets,” said Brian Fuller, associate professor of digital filmmaking. “A Guild project like ‘Station 38’ sharpens what students learn in class about camera angle, sound design and editing.  But more importantly, it uses storytelling to nourish a community.”

As the festival audience gathers Thursday evening, viewers can expect more than just a student film — they’ll see a tribute to service, sacrifice and the enduring spirit of a small-town fire department — set against the backdrop of a campus celebration of student creativity.

“Two entities with great passion – their passion for film and our passion for service to the community – were able to come together to create a successful project that benefits both groups,” Dahle said. “On behalf of the proud men and women of the Edinboro Fire Department, we congratulate the PennWest students on a job well done and wish them success in their future careers.”

The annual festival showcases talented student work across animation, live-action films and photography, and features a red carpet photoshoot that gives participants a premiere-style experience. Admission is free and open to the public.

Named in honor of retired professor Dave Weinkauf, the festival also reflects a legacy of innovation in film education at the university. Weinkauf began teaching in 1969, and by 1975 he had created the cinema program. With a drive for innovation and technology, he later helped introduce animation to the program in the late 1970s, laying the groundwork for the diverse creative work celebrated at the festival today.