Bristol Secures $2 Million In Federal Funds For Centralized Fire Station

Bristol Borough has locked in $2 million in federal funding to construct a centralized fire station.

The federal appropriation, which was announced last week, brings the total secured funding for the project to $3.7 million.

The total cost for the new facility is estimated at $6 million, officials said.

Prior to the federal funds, the borough obtained $1 million through State Sen. Steve Santarsiero and State Rep. Tina Davis, both Democrats, as well as an additional $700,000 in state funding.

Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick, a Republican, told Bristol Borough Council that the funding must be used within a specific time frame.

“Our goal is to not have a dime come out of the Bristol Borough taxpayers’ pocket,” Fitzpatrick told the borough council. “The hope is that this is not just a fire company, but it’s a substation for the rescue squad. It’s a hub for community.”

The project is part of a plan to unify the Bristol Fire Company, America Hose, Hook and Ladder Fire Company, Goodwill Hose Company, and Bristol Consolidated Volunteer Fire Company.

The fire companies have committed to merging into a single operation to address a shrinking pool of volunteers and evolving service needs within the 1.7-square-mile borough.

Council President Ralph DiGuiseppe said that the borough intends to move forward with the project even as it continues to seek more grant money.

“We’re going to get it started sooner than later,” DiGuiseppe said. “It’s going to happen. It’s going to happen sooner than you think.”

The proposed facility will be designed to improve response times and equipment management by housing all personnel and apparatus under one roof.

DiGuiseppe said there are operational advantages to unified operations that will allow the department to respond as one team rather than from several stations.

Planned features for the station are on-site living accommodations, a potential substation for the Bucks County Rescue Squad, and modern amenities, including heated equipment areas and specialized systems for drip-drying fire hoses.

The fire companies have established the Bristol Borough Fire Association to coordinate the changes.

A final location for the station has not yet been brought to a vote by council.

A formal design for the building is also pending.

Council members shared their gratitude for the cooperation of the local fire companies and the bipartisan support from state and federal officials as the project moves into its next phase.