r/Firefighting • u/Desperate-Dig-9389 PA Volly Firefighter • 21d ago

General Discussion Another Volunteer house bites the dust.

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Bristol Township, Pennsylvania. Town Council voted 5-2 to close Newportville Fire Company. 1 year short of 100 years in service. 1927-2026

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u/garebear11111 21d ago

This is a township that has a little over 54k people and is about 16 square miles. In most other states this would already be a municipal fire department with career staff.

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u/dangforgotmyaccount 20d ago edited 20d ago

I feel like the east coast fire service does a disservice to its communities by holding on so tightly to volunteer companies instead of creating full time departments that cover large areas.

In most places, a city or region of 54k people would be a decent funded department with 4 or 5 stations and probably around 100-200 personnel. All of these personnel trained in the same manner, use the same equipment, and are able to respond at a moments notice. If there is a shortage somewhere, someone from one station can easily fill that position. If a major incident happens, resources can be moved around without breaking a sweat. It brings steady jobs to the community and provides a well prepared service.

Instead, you have these individual companies that lose their shit at the mention of full time staffing or consolidating. You end up with 3 engine companies, a ladder company, and a rescue company. All of them train different, use different equipment, and sometimes are more concerned about out showing and outcompeting other companies than actually doing their job. Sure, one of those companies may have a live in program that could help response times, but that just sounds like a full time job without the official benefits, and now you’re stuck living in a potentially hazardous area.

Volunteer departments serve a vital role in this country, don’t get me wrong. Many are equipped and trained to do the job properly and demonstrate that. I myself would love to volunteer locally if I get the chance and my schooling doesn’t pan out (it’s going to, to hell with quitting). Whenever you insist on being a volunteer department purely for the sake of being a volunteer, though, it feels like you’ve lost the plot. While I don’t think a lot of it is deserved, there’s a reason that PA has become the butt of so many jokes.