Our operational leadership has put an emphasis on transparency as we move forward and make changes. Change always comes with a bit of uneasiness and making these public might help quell some of that uneasiness. One of the primary areas we have changed is tweaking our run cards, these cards determine what departments are automatically dispatched to calls of varying nature in the Township.

These cards were determined by prioritizing staffed/capable fire departments, while also considering that the closest appropriate departments are dispatched on initial alarms. With the uncertain availability of volunteers in the volunteer fire service, the responses are “right sized” to add more in an effort to get more qualified personnel on scene to assist in emergencies faster and perform more efficiently while managing risk to firefighters on scene by limiting fatigue and overwork.

Automatic transfers will be utilized to get resources closer so that, in the event an additional alarm is required, appropriate/capable resources are quickly available. This is necessary due to the sheer size of our Township.

There will be instances where you will see a neighboring department arrive first on scene, simply put, they may be physically closer to the emergency, and this is a good problem to have. These departments are just as capable and we will jump in where we need to upon our arrival. We all work together very well to work the problems we’re dispatched to.

We hope to never meet you outside of a firehouse visit but if we do meet, you can rest assured knowing you’re in very good hands no matter where in the Township we meet.

-Chief Ian Richards