By Norm Vargo
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (Pennsylvania)
NORTH HUNTINGDON, Pa. — North Huntingdon’s seven volunteer fire companies have asked the township commissioners to consider a major change in the municipality’s rescue policy.
The township Fire Chiefs Association has requested the board to designate each company to be solely responsible for vehicle and physical rescue incidents in its territory.
Commissioners were scheduled to consider the request during last night’s meeting.
The Rescue 8 Emergency Medical Service, made up of volunteers and paid staff, is the township’s designated rescue unit to cover vehicle accidents and incidents. The township’s Volunteer Firemen’s Relief Association bought that unit’s rescue truck several years ago.
Three fire companies own apparatus dedicated to rescue: Hahntown-Fairmont, Straw Pump and Hartford Heights.
Circleville, the township’s largest unit, is expected to put into service this month a rescue pumper equipped with state-of-the-art tools. A $44,915 grant from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security was used to buy the tools, which will provide advanced rescue capability.
Larimer, Westmoreland City and Shafton do not operate dedicated rescue apparatus.
Those units would include companies with dedicated rescue apparatus on their call cards, which are dispatched by Westmoreland County 911. Irwin’s rescue pumper also could be used in extreme emergency situations.
The Chiefs Association believes designating the responsibility of serving vehicle and physical rescue incidents to individual fire companies would increase efficiency while reducing response time.
Hartford Heights, Circleville and Straw Pump companies are located along Route 30. Hahntown-Fairmont is based in Hahntown, a short distance from busy Clay Pike and most of the township’s new, upscale housing developments.
The bulk of the township’s vehicle accidents have occurred on Route 30.
The commissioners also were expected to consider approving the demolition of the abandoned Carlton Motel along Pennsylvania Avenue near the Irwin interchange of the Pennsylvania Turnpike.
Copyright 2008 P.G. Publishing Co.