Pennsylvania Fire Departments Consider Consolidation

Plans for a new fire station in Harmony and a new firetruck in Zelienople are on hold while the two departments decide whether they should become one.

“It only makes sense when our departments are a mile apart that we do something,” Zelienople fire Chief Rob Reeb said. “In the end, if we can save everyone money, it makes sense.”

A task force comprising fire department representatives, along with municipal representatives and community members early next month will begin discussing issues related to a merger or consolidation. Authorities in Zelienople, Harmony and Lancaster, which is covered by the Harmony fire department, have passed resolutions to form the task force. The proposal has support in Jackson.

The final decision to combine rests with the dozens of firefighters within the two departments, said Harmony Fire Chief Neal Nanna.

The departments are nonprofit, volunteer organizations run by executive boards. They may receive government funding, but are independent agencies. A merged department would cover nearly 10,900 residents in the four municipalities, according to U.S. Census figures.

“In four or five years, we’re going to be overwhelmed with growth in the area,” said Nanna, adding that the department runs from 400 to 600 calls a year. “We have to be proactive rather than reactive.”

Representatives involved in the talks will meet with Rob Brady, the state Department of Economic and Community Development’s expert on firefighting and emergency medical services.

Brady said fire departments and ambulance services in 34 Pennsylvania counties are looking at mergers.

“You have a lot of different options,” Brady said. “It’s not limited to one or two things. There’s not a lot of limitations. You can design the system you want.”

Zelienople has one fire station and 35 active members. Harmony has a main station in the township and a substation in Lancaster. It has nearly 35 active members, and 54 on the department roster.

Some unanswered questions are when a change could occur and how much money a combined department could save taxpayers. Harmony’s fire department annual operating budget is $350,000, Nanna said, a combination of funding from the municipalities it covers and fundraising.

Zelienople’s fire department received $143,000 this year from the borough for operating expenses, according to the borough’s budget. The fire department also brings in about $40,000 a year from fundraising and $10,000 from a rescue fund drive, which goes toward capital expenses, said Zelienople assistant chief Scott Garing.

“We haven’t even started touching the financials,” Garing said. “We want to get some progress forward before discussing finances.”

He pointed out that a combined department would have six fire engines.

“There’s absolutely no need for six fire engines if we consolidate,” Garing said.

Volunteer firefighters spend at least 60 percent of their available time fundraising, according to an October 2013 state Senate Veterans Affairs and Emergency Preparedness Committee report, but only 20 percent of citizenry donates to a fire company. State officials said there are about 50,000 volunteer firefighters in Pennsylvania today, compared to 300,000 in 1976.

“It’s been a long time in the process,” Garing said of a merger. “We’ve been tossing this around for 20 years.”

It’s the second such merger possibility in Butler County within the last year. Three fire companies formed a Butler Township fire department.

Butler Township Volunteer Fire District 3 Chief Toby Wehr said his department’s merger went well, but he cautioned the Harmony-Zelienople group that there many issues to deal with. Even the color scheme of the new Butler Township department’s trucks and a uniform patch had to be discussed and approved.

During the new organization’s fundraiser this year, Wehr said, many people didn’t know the companies had merged, so the department will work to educate residents.

“You can’t forget what history came before,” Wehr said.

Garing said some people involved in the Zelienople-Harmony talks have spoken to Butler Township representatives.

“It went pretty well,” Brady said of the merger. “I think they made the right decision. You have to decide whether you’re going to drive the bus or get run over by it. They chose to control their own destiny.”

A task force committee meeting will be held at 8 p.m. Nov. 12 at the Harmony Fire Station, 543 Main St., Harmony.

Bill Vidonic is a staff writer for Trib Total Media. He can be reached at 412-380-5621 or bvidonic@tribweb.com