The Huntingdon Valley and Bryn Athyn fire companies switched to a common emergency service number on Monday, January 6.
According to Mark Showmaker, Joint Chief of Emergency Services, the switch marks the first phase of a long process to consolidate the companies into a joint entity called Fetters Mill Fire Rescue, located at 636 Red Lion Road. The logistics to bring it all together are expected to take a few years to complete.
The consolidation process in the region began over a decade ago. In April 2024, Bryn Athyn Borough Council members unanimously adopted a resolution that permitted the previously discussed Intergovernmental Cooperation Agreement with Lower Moreland Township.
Fetters Mill Fire Rescue was recently delivered a new fire truck with the updated lettering and logo. Showmaker said career staff and volunteers are going through training and preparing the vehicle for service.
The tower ladder truck, a Pierce Enforcer, replaces the 2001 KME tower ladder which was in use for over 20 years. A 2005 American LaFrance pumper will be replaced in late 2025 by a new Pierce Saber pumper. This investment for both trucks totals $3 million.
“We’re starting the process. There’s a cooperative agreement in place. We’ll legalize the entity and start to look at its structure. That’ll set the stage for what we need to do down the road,” Showmaker said. “We’ve started budgeting and done some hiring.”
Showmaker, who reports to both Bryn Athyn Borough and Lower Moreland Township, was hired last year to facilitate the process and set plans for the future. His position was created through an intergovernmental cooperation agreement with the assent from both companies to oversee their daily operations.
“We’ve made some good progress. It can be tough to accept change, but we hope it benefits our residents and communities,” Showmaker said.
The process has included monthly reports, including an internal study, to better serve the area.
“We’re looking for a better response to emergencies. The biggest issue driving this is lack of volunteerism. It’s a nationwide problem. We had 300,000 volunteers in Pennsylvania ten years ago. Now it’s less than 30,000,” Showmaker said. “We’re trying to eliminate duplications and operate as one individual response organization that can better serve our communities.”
From Lower Moreland Township’s October newsletter:
This will include combining operations as Station 19 – HVFC’s Station 8 plus BAFC’s Station 11 – so they can better respond with the appropriate required number of personnel on the suppression apparatus and meeting response time requirements in accordance with nationally recognized and established standards.
There will be new costs associated with staffing, apparatus and facilities. By committing to the high standards of intergovernmental cooperation, we will build something better together.
“Our volunteers work endless hours, but it’s at the point that we’re not getting everyone out for calls that we need. Those are the items we’re trying to address,” he said.
For more on the Fetters Mill Fire Rescue, you can visit their Facebook page.
In related news, both companies shared statistics from 2024. From Bryn Athyn’s post:
Huntingdon Valley Fire Company posted the following:
472 fire responses (a 20% increase from 2023) including 386 in Lower Moreland, 86 for mutual aid of which 47 were assists to Bryn Athyn.
In addition to our emergency responses, our volunteer professional firefighters did the following in community service:
*58 hours on public details such as our Santa Run, Trunk or Treat, Memorial Day Ceremony, etc.
*7 hours for parades
*14 hours for Fire Prevention presentations at our schools and our Annual Fire Prevention Open House.
We also spent the following time in non-emergency activity:
*262 hours of training at our weekly night drills
*84 hours of driver training
*21 hours for monthly meetings
*15 hours for special details such as funerals
*23 hours of station building maintenance
*140 hours for engineering maintenance nights (trucks and equipment).
Your HVFC volunteer professional firefighters are proud of the 24/7, 365 service we provide our community and the money we save the residents of Lower Moreland. The support of our Lower Moreland neighbors and businesses is greatly appreciated. HVFC, getting the job done since 1911.
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