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Two Bristol Borough volunteer fire companies will be co-housing their operations starting Saturday. The move comes as the borough’s four fire companies move toward a plan to combine operations within the 1.9-square-mile municipality.
In a Friday announcement from leadership of the America Hose, Hook, and Ladder and Bristol Consolidated fire companies, the two organizations announced they will “temporarily co-house fire operations” at American Hose, Hook, and Ladder Station 25 at 2401 East Farragut Avenue. Bristol Consolidated Station 50 at 250 Pond Street at the main borough building will be used for supportive equipment and services.
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“Our goal is to provide only the best fire protection to the residents of Bristol Borough,” the fire officials said.
Through the Bristol Borough Fire Association, the Bristol Fire Company, America Hose, Hook and Ladder Fire Company, Goodwill Hose Company, and Bristol Consolidated Volunteer Fire Company are working with the municipality to move toward a future with merged operations and one central fire station. The push comes as it has become harder to get new volunteer firefighters and maintain equipment and stations for four companies in the relatively small riverfront community.
“We are still working through the goals of the Bristol Borough Fire Association. We hope to see one centralized fire station with a full merger many years down the road,” Steve Reeves, Bristol Consolidated Fire Company chief and president of the association said on Friday.
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The co-housing of the two fire companies, which begins Saturday, is a precursor to the future.
Credit: Tom Sofield/LevittownNow.com
“This will also give the companies the opportunity to prepare ourselves for future strides within the Bristol Borough Fire Association,” the announcement issued Friday stated.
“Manpower and response issues are problems that we are facing right now. It’s not an issue that needs to be addressed in the future. They are issues that need to be addressed now,” Reeves said. “The fire companies have to be prioritized. The community needs to get behind our men and women. Our volunteers.”
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In June, officials from the fire companies said the all-volunteer association is looking to improve staffing, develop a strategic plan for all fire companies, look at consolidation within five years, become fiscally responsible, create a plan to be sustainable in regards to staff, and develop a training standard, while also obtaining a central station for operations.
No location for a central station has been found, but fire company and borough officials have been in discussions.
A 2021 fire study from the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development recommended the borough revamp its fire code to be more up to date, create an association of the four fire companies with the ultimate goal of merging, and look at bringing all the fire companies into one station in a central location in town. The report recommended the 1.9-mile borough be served by two engines, one ladder, and one rescue truck.
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The co-housing of the America Hose, Hook, and Ladder and Bristol Consolidated fire companies means Engine 50 will be housed at the same station as Ladder 25 and Rescue 25 on East Farragut Avenue, while Special Service 25, Marine 25, Air 25, Tac 50, and fire police equipment will be kept at the borough hall. The two stations are about 1.5 miles apart.
The Bristol Fire Company is located near Mill Street at Wood and Market street, and the Goodwill Hose Company is stationed at Swain and Mifflin streets near Bath Road and Route 13.
The push to merge fire companies has been discussed and proposed for years, but more serious talk and actions began in 2019.
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