Fire companies consolidate to strengthen services

(This is the fourth and final article in a series on fire company finances. Today's article focuses on fire department jointures.)

HALIFAX - It can be a marriage, unlike any other.

For firefighters in the Halifax area, Dauphin County, the union has been going strong for 16-years. Meanwhile, volunteers in Minersville, Schuylkill County, remain in the infancy stages of their jointure, but are already seeing the benefits of combining resources and manpower.

Halifax merger

The Halifax & Community Fire Department and the Powells Valley Fire Department decided to merge in 1994, giving birth to a new entity - the Halifax Fire Company, Dauphin County Station 29. According to Charlie Bisking, current vice-president and assistant fire chief, the paperwork to make the jointure official was completed in August, 1994.

"We merged and were two separate stations at first," he said.

The old Powells Valley firehouse was eventually sold during a public auction and the funds from the auction were put toward the new department's needs. The former Halifax & Community fire station was also vacated by the department once a new fire station was built in 1997, and that former building is now occupied by the Halifax Post Office. The newer firehouse is located near the intersection of Routes 225 and 147 in Halifax and houses the combined department's fire trucks and equipment.

Some fire companies consider mergers, or consolidations, as a means of survival. In a belt-tightening economy, and with fewer volunteers accessible, some fire department officials believe that consolidation may be the way to go.

"With the merger, I think it benefited the fire department and the community. It allowed for more membership. All for one and one for all," Bisking said. "We have 25 to 30 truly active people now, compared with what some other departments may have, 10 or so."

That consistency in volunteers who have the appropriate training has enabled the Halifax Fire Department to be one of the busiest in the northern region of Dauphin County. Of the 11 fire companies in the northern end, Halifax responds to the most fire calls per year, averaging well over 200 annually. The department also serves as the Rapid Intervention Team (RIT) for Millersburg, Elizabethville, Middle Paxton and Dauphin Borough, according to Assistant Chief Thomas Pottiger.

Minersville union

Just this year, two fire companies in the Minersville area became one. The Independent Hose Company and the Rescue Hook & Ladder Fire Company consolidated to become Minersville Fire-Rescue. With approximately 275 members now, the new department has about 40 active firefighters and all the members from both departments stayed with the new organization, according to Chief Eric Eichenberg. The Rescue Hook & Ladder dissolved their Ladies Auxiliary in the transition; the Independent Hose Company didn't have an auxiliary at the time.

A shared concern for public safety and growing costs prompted the consolidation discussion, he said.

"We have an obligation to provide a volunteer service to protect our community and save lives. This takes a lot of help which is difficult to get, and a lot of money to put the best equipment in service to perform our jobs. This combination both of our organizations struggled with."

"So when the idea came up, we sat down together and listened to each other's story. The result of that meeting was this could be a win-win for both entities and made good common sense," Eichenberg said.

Their first meeting was in February 2009, after both companies agreed to move ahead and pursue consolidating. They set a goal of completing the task by the end of the year. The Minersville Fire-Rescue was established on Jan. 1, 2010 and the names of the two previous organizations were dissolved.

Eichenberg said Minersville Borough Council has agreed to do something similar to what the state does when a consolidation occurs. The state annually offers a grant to every fire company and ambulance organization for safety equipment, building renovations, and debt reduction, he said. "As an incentive, the state will allow us to apply for two grants - as if we were still two companies for a period of five years after the consolidation goes into effect," said Eichenberg.

As far as fire stations and equipment, Eichenberg said the department is moving forward.

"We actually combined the RH&L light rescue and the Independent squad into one larger vehicle we purchased in March. We have sold the two smaller units. We currently have a ladder truck, a heavy rescue, an engine and an off-road ATV for rescues. Our goal is to get under one roof as soon as possible and a committee is in place to achieve this," he said.

Shared knowledge

Among firefighters' training circles, many members share their experiences about keeping their departments afloat and methods of improving their services, while at the same time, easing the burden on loyal volunteers. During a recent training, Sacramento Community Fire Company Fire Chief Ronald Radel met up with Eichenberg.

Radel asked Eichenberg if he would be willing to share his company's consolidation efforts with the Sacramento and Valley View squads, who are also mulling a consolidation. An informational meeting will be held Aug. 4 at the Sacramento Fire House, with Eichenberg addressing what issues his company faced.

"We have been one company for seven months and we have accomplished a lot in a short period of time. As of now, our future is bright and we will prevail," Eichenberg said.

Sign up for Text Alerts

Sign up for e-mail newsletters