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| Comm'r Phil Bernard calls firefighters "family" |
Two volunteer fire companies - Nancy Run and Bethlehem Township Volunteer Fire Company (BTVFC)- serve the Township. Woglom has called them "two halves of a whole, not two separate entities." BTVFC, for example, has a very active and financially successful EMS service. Both departments respond to more calls than any other volunteer fire departments in the County.
Commissioners unanimously adopted three recommendations made by a Fire Relations Committee, which consist of Fire Chiefs as well as Commissioners Marty Zawarski and Phil Bernard.
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| The two chiefs: Dave Stapinski (BTVFC) and Jamie Hauze (Nancy Run) |
The second recommendation approved by Commissioners was a five-year capital plan for vehicle purchases. "This way there's no surprises," noted President Paul Weiss. Both companies are eyeing four vehicles over the next five years, including the retirement of a ladder truck that is 25 years old. Chief Stapinski explained that it takes nearly a year just to prepare the specs, and after that, another seven months to build the truck.
Just one ladder truck is estimated to cost $1.1 million.
Finally, Commissioners agreed to spend $2,870 for a safety inspection on stretchers.
In other business, Commissioners entertained a sketch plan for a "We-Store" storage facility on Emrick Boulevard, proposed by developer Abe Atiyeh. Engineer Dave Harte described plans for three buildings, each of them 3-stories high, for storage. Unlike self-storage, items would be picked up by facility managers.
Commissioners had no concerns except for parking. "There's not a lot of parking there," noted President Paul Weiss. But Township Engineer Brian Dillman responded that a parking plan will be required before plan approval.
According to Harte, if things go smoothly, this storage facility could be operational this year.
Commissioners will meet again on Monday, June 17, 7 PM, at , at the Municipal Building, located at 4225 Easton Avenue.
10 comments:
art what point does one of these townships get big enough, Hospitals, industrial parks, thousands of homes, to mandate a PAID full time Fire company?
8:33 THAT IS LONG OVERDUE BUT IT WILL NOT HAPPEN UNTIL SOMEONE DIES OR SOME RICH FAMILY LOSES THEIR HOME...THAT SUGGESTION FROM NOT ONLY MYSELF BUT OTHERS FALL ON DEAF EARS,, THE TIME HAS PASSED FOR THE HOBBY FIREFIGHTER!!!
8:42,
First, you insult probably every member of BTVFC and NRFC. These members give their time and talents to their community. It is not a "hobby". Their service comes with sacrifice to themselves and their families. BT is blessed, in this day and age, to have men and women who commit themselves as they do.
Will Bethlehem Township reach the point of needing paid departments? I am sure in time. However, the current system, with ongoing improvements in coordination, is beneficial. What you advocate would be a budget buster if you include salary, benefits, and pensions. These would be built-in, annual costs, unlike the capital support currently given to the Departments. The City of Easton has a population not much larger than BT, but with a millage rate of 25.95, compared to 5.99 for the Twp. Obviously the Fire Dept is only one component of the near 20 mill difference, but the point is made. So long as the system still works, keep supporting it. We can't afford to do otherwise. It is easy to vent in upper-case letters when you don't have to deal with the realities of costs...or don't care because its other people's (tax) money.
well said Lighthouse right on point.
It's pretty hard to Say it better than Lighthouse just did.
I think 8:42 has a valid point not to long ago about a week or so I was nearly hit by one of the hobby bluelighters in a hurry to get to the firehouse only to find out it was a false automatic alarm, once someone gets killed it's going to be to late, there is far to much traffic on the roads for these WACKERS, paid is the way to go!!!!!
what does a paid department have to do with traffic??? Either way it has to be dealt with.
1:48 1st BLUELIGHTS mean nothing they are a courtesy light THATS IT!! therefore noone has to give them the right of way..so if your argument with 842 is he should skow and move You are dead wrong He doesnt have to move at all and thats why paid depts are the thing to do RED LIGHTS and sirens move to the right.....You need to get Your head out of YOUR ass...The wackers in BTVF an NRFC have been creating speed issues for some time ane Beth PD has been watch the issue very closely
Didn't realize they are almost the same size as easton. i guess that explains why the police took about a half hour to get to my son's accident. i left work and was there sooner. and the officer said he was only one of two patrol officers on duty
Yeah, get a paid fire department so they can deal with firefighters like Schlener who abuse sick time then get drunk and smash their vehicles. I have much more respect for someone who does it on their own time then to some union employee who gets paid $60,000 to $70,000 to sit on the couch most of the time and watch TV. I guess you do also pay them to sleep, eat, an work on their side gigs they have. In my opinion the volunteers are the true heros. Paid fighters like to call them WACKERS and put them down because volunteers do the job for nothing which is a threat to them.
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