By Bill Wellock
The Citizens’ Voice
HANOVER TOWNSHIP, Pa. — The Hanover Township fire department is building a new home.
In about a year, a new building on the Sans Souci Parkway will be the department’s new headquarters, and it will also operate a fire station in the northern end of its coverage area and another in the southern end.
The moves are part of a consolidation of the department’s current stations. The township used to have six neighborhood stations, and now has five operating stations. Instead of that scenario, the new station near the middle of town and two other satellites will allow the department to operate more efficiently, said fire chief Joe Temerantz.
The identity of neighborhood stations serving a small area doesn’t fit anymore these days, he said.
“We’re all one big, happy family,” Temerantz said.
The station in Newtown will become the north station and the station in Warrior Run that is operated with that borough’s fire department will become the south station. Stations at Lee Park, Breslau, Hanover Green and Preston will all be incorporated into the new Sans Souci headquarter. The Hanover Township Ambulance Association will use the building in Hanover Green for its emergency response services, Temerantz said.
The township will host a ground-breaking ceremony today at the future headquarters site.
The new station will cost about $3.2 million, said township Manager Sam Guesto. The fire district’s volunteer association is contributing $600,000, and $1 million comes from a Local Share Account grant, which receives gaming money generated by casinos including Mohegan Sun Pocono, he said.
Being on the Sans Souci Parkway will allow the department to respond quickly anywhere in the township, Guesto said. The township will construct a flashing light at the entrance to the station that can change to red when firetrucks leave.
“One of the things it will do is put them in a central location for all of the services they provide,” Guesto said. “Instead of one end of the town needing help, and the volunteers are at another part.”
The township will own the fire department headquarters when it is finished. The building will house several trucks, two boats and offices. It has space for up to 10 trucks and land for an addition to the building.
The department also plans to purchase a new fire engine using a $400,000 grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, Temerantz said.
Copyright 2016 The Citizens’ Voice