Standoff Between Bristol Twp. & Newportville Fire Company Continues

Members and supporters of the Newportville Fire Company made a plea for survival before the Bristol Township Council Thursday evening as the future of the volunteer organization hangs in the balance.

The 99-year-old fire company faces potential removal from the township’s dispatch rotation after concerns over past mismanagement, including the arrest of a former chief, and operational failures.

Council members are scheduled to vote on the fire company’s future at their August meeting.

The company will remain operational until that time.

Newportville leadership admitted there were previous issues but stressed that major operational and response improvements have been implemented.

Deputy Chief Ryan Cummings reported a significant drop in missed calls.

In 2025, he said, the company responded to approximately 600 emergency calls but recorded around 60 non-responses.

Through the first half of 2026, non-responses dropped to just five in-district calls out of approximately 350 runs, the deputy chief said.

“We are not here tonight to debate our past. We have acknowledged it, taken responsibility for it and corrected it,” Ryan Cummings said. “Since January 2025, Newportville Fire Company has strengthened its financial controls, improved accountability, increased firefighter training, rebuilt staffing, and dramatically improved our emergency response performance.”

Ryan Cummings added that the company has complied with municipal directives, submitted a written recovery plan, and applied for a Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) recruitment grant.

The federal funding is tied directly to Newportville’s staffing model and would not transfer to another station if the company closes, according to the deputy chief.

Township Solicitor Scott Holbert read a statement on behalf of the municipality and said the ongoing friction dates back to a 2019 fire study conducted by the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development.

The state study identified recruitment, retention, finances, and response times as severe issues and recommended a merger or consolidation with the nearby Third District Fire Company.

According to Holbert, Newportville initially expressed interest in the merger but abruptly withdrew from talks in 2023 without offering an explanation. He noted that other local volunteer companies have voted against a merger with Newportville, and no other volunteer fire companies have pursued a partnership.

Battalion Chief Dawn Cummings disputed the township’s timeline.

Dawn Cummings said there were discussions that would have secured Newportville’s stand-alone operations through Dec. 31, 2027, which coincides with its 100th anniversary.

She cited email correspondence with Township Manager Randee Mazur that she claimed proved the initial merger breakdown was caused by township actions. She added that later efforts to look at operational cooperation with the Third District stalled due to cancelled meetings.

Ryan Cummings requested a face-to-face meeting with township officials ahead of the August vote.

Council members directed Newportville’s lawyer to contact the township solicitor, pointing to ongoing correspondence between the two entities.

Jim Mulholland, a former township fire marshal with 70 years of firefighting experience, urged a collaborative resolution between the fire company and township. He warned of legal liabilities seen in other states where forced closures were legally tied to response fatalities.

“Before you guys close a fire company or force them to merge, I think you really should have somebody sit down with council and the people and say, ‘hey, what can we do to help the fire companies and help the public?’” Mulholland said.

Colin Sweeney, a 25-year-old Newportville lieutenant, said the threat of closure has damaged the memberships’ morale.

“When we are getting threatened to get shut down, that morale goes from here all the way down. That’s not fair to us,” Sweeney said.

Resident David Sargent spoke of a fire at his neighbor’s home to highlight the need for local coverage.

“I know firsthand how important it is to have a fire company that’s minutes away rather than miles away,” Sargent said.

Another resident, Frank Barnhart, read a statement from a local paramedic advocating for a transition to a 24/7 fully paid fire department funded by a tax increase and using volunteers as a resource.

Township officials stated they are still reviewing the situation.

“Our obligation, however, is to make decisions based on public safety, accountability, and the long-term reliability of emergency services for our entire community,” Mazur said.

Officials said that defunding Newportville, which owns its stations and equipment, would not save the township money.

If Newportville is dissolved, its township funding would be reallocated to increase the budgets of the township’s other four volunteer companies: Croydon, Edgely, Levittown No. 2, and Third District.

Officials assured residents that emergency services will continue without interruption using the volunteer companies and the career staff of Bristol Township Fire Rescue.

Below is a full statement on the issue released by Bristol Township Friday afternoon:

“As questions and statements have circulated publicly, we recognize that misinformation and  incomplete information have created confusion within our community. 

To help residents better understand how we arrived at this point, the Township has prepared the  attached timeline and clarification document. It outlines the history of discussions dating back to the  2019 Fire Operations Analysis, the Township’s efforts over several years to address operational  concerns, and factual responses to several claims that have recently been made publicly. 

Our goal is not to engage in public debate, but to ensure residents have access to accurate information  as Township Council considers this important public safety matter. We encourage everyone to review  the information, ask questions, and participate in the public process. 

Bristol Township remains committed to transparency, accountability, and providing the highest level  of fire protection for our residents. 

• In 2019 the Township engaged the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic  Development for a Fire Operations Analysis (Fire Study).  

• Newportville Fire Company Chief Doster’s response to the fire study question regarding the “Top  Three Needs” facing NFC, Chief Doster replied; 1) Recruitment/Retention; 2) Finances; 3) Member  Responses. In regard to the “Top Three Weaknesses” of NFC, Chief Doster replied; 1) Response  Times; 2) Enhancing Knowledge of Future Members; 3) Basics of Operations. 

• The study questionnaire asked each fire company to review DCED options and provide their  thoughts. Chief Doster replied: “At this time in the township fire service, my feelings are that  Consolidation or Association of departments would allow better fire protection to the residents.  This would also allow for more volunteers to contribute to each department, as well as response  times, coverage of departments throughout the day, and utilization of skill sets. Some departments  are very leery on combining assets, but I feel if we do not at a minimum associate then we will be  letting down the people we are supposed to protect. A Merger may benefit down the road, but I also  feel this term is not used correctly. I believe within 5 years departments in the township will have no  choice but to become one if volunteers continue to diminish”. 

• The questionnaire also asked: “Please list what your fire company believes are the pros and cons  of consolidating, merging or sharing services?” to which Chief Doster cited a pro being – “Training Having 2 departments operate as one, this will allow stronger service of both departments”.

• The study was completed in November 2020.  

• The Township received interest letters from Third District and Newportville Fire Companies to begin  discussions of merger/consolidation, as recommended in the Fire Study. 

• In 2019 the Township borrowed $11 million dollars to renovate the senior center and the former  Inspire Building at 2104 Bath Road (now the Parks & Recreation Building) for Township career  department, Third District Fire Company (TDFC) and Newportville Fire Company (NFC). 

• After COVID, prices increased from the $7 million we secured for the fire station to a project costing  over $15 million.  

• In 2023 NFC advised they were no longer interested in merging/consolidating with TDFC with no  reasoning given to either Bristol Township or TDFC. 

• Two fire companies have officially voted against merging/consolidating with NFC when asked. The  remaining 4 volunteer fire companies do not want to work with NFC. 

• This is not a financial issue within the Township or funding. The same funding of Township Tax  Allocation and State Aid will not be reduced if any mergers, consolidations or redistricting of service  areas occur. The funding will be reallocated by 4 instead of 5, so each company will receive more  because the number to divide by will be reduced. 

• Township Council 100% supports our volunteer fire companies and have been saying for the last  5+ years, “We are hopeful to retain the volunteer fire service in the Township to work in tandem with  our career department. The financial impact on our residents will be astronomical if we are ever in  the situation where we lose volunteer fire company service”. 

• Bristol Township has a career department, has been in existence since 2010. In 2019 the volunteer  fire company Chiefs asked for the expansion of the township’s career department hours, asking for  6am to 6pm M-F. The career department expanded hours from 6am to 4:30pm M-F, as the township  career department increased staffing getting back to staffing levels from cuts from prior Township  Manager. 

• Newportville Fire Company owns two properties. Station 12, located at 2425 New Falls Rd,  Levittown 19056 and Station 82, located at 3025 Bath Road, Bristol 19007. 

• Station 12 has not been used for fire protection services, with engines running from or calls taken  and dispatched since 2019. All service calls from Newportville Fire Company are from Station 82.  

• The laws for land and equipment from any fire company that dissolve must be distributed to another  501c3 fire company. The Bristol Township has no intention or desire for the land or equipment  currently serviced and used by Newportville Fire Company.  

• There are no land developments, or any discussions Bristol Township is aware of for a recycling  center at either location owned by Newportville Fire Company, or any other development for the  properties.

• Levittown Fire Company #2 (LFV#2), of which Councilman Glasson is a volunteer fire fighter, does  not gain any independent financial benefit from a redistrict by the Township Ordinances for 4 fire  companies from five. All remaining fire companies will receive an increase in real estate tax millage  and state allocation. 

• No one fire company would be proposed to take over NFC service area alone, and thus all the calls,  an inclusive look at all aspects of what the service districts should become has begun by the Chiefs  of the volunteer fire companies, working together. 

• Township Manager Randee Mazur has received no correspondence or voicemail from Attorney  Houser.  

• Township Manager Mazur or Assistant Township Manager Heather Satterly has received no  correspondence or voicemail from Alex Gross. 

• Township Manager Mazur has returned every email or phone call from current and former Chiefs  and President of NFC. 

• Township Manager Mazur facilitated a meeting with NFC in February upon receiving their request. Township Statement Regarding Recent Communication Issues 

Following the July 16 Township Council meeting, the Township Manager’s Office directed the Information  Technology Department to investigate concerns about telephone messages that Township officials may  not have received. 

The investigation found that the Township’s email security system began flagging and quarantining  voicemail attachments during the week of July 6, 2026. Because the Township’s telephone system sends  voicemail messages to staff by email, affected messages did not reach the intended recipients’ inboxes.  The Township identified and corrected the issue on July 17, 2026. 

Telephone records confirm that Alex Gross called Township telephone numbers seven times:

• Five calls on July 10, 2026  

• Two calls on July 13, 2026  

• Six calls were forwarded through the Township’s telephone system  

• One call received no answer  

These records confirm that Mr. Gross attempted to contact the Township. They also support the  information Assistant Township Manager Heather Satterly provided at the Council meeting: the incoming  calls appeared in the telephone records, but the associated voicemail messages were not delivered to the  intended email inboxes. 

The failure to respond was not intentional. Township staff were unaware that messages had been left  because the email security system blocked the voicemail attachments. Once the Township learned of the  concern, it promptly investigated and corrected the technical issue. 

The Township also searched its telephone records for Attorney Kim Houser’s office and cell phone  numbers. The records show no incoming calls from either number to any telephone number owned by  Bristol Township. Specifically, there is no record of a call to the Township Manager, Assistant Township Manager, or Executive Assistant in the Township Manager’s Office. 

Mr. Gross has previously communicated with the Assistant Township Manager by email regarding  corrections to another article. The email addresses for Township administrative staff are also publicly  available on the Township’s website. Despite having an established email contact and access to the  Township’s published contact information, Mr. Gross did not contact or follow up with Township  administration by email. 

Had the Township received Mr. Gross’s request for comment, the Township would have referred him to  the Township Solicitor because the matter involves pending legal issues. 

The Township remains committed to providing accurate information and maintaining open  communication with residents, public safety organizations, and members of the media.