[Published January 22, 2022, in the Bucks Count Courier Times.]

The consulting agency that found Middletown's fire service was suffering from a 'system-wide lack of trust' and breakdown in communication has now been hired to try to fix it. The fire services in Middletown Township is comprised of four volunteer fire companies and the Township Department of Fire and Emergency Management.

Township supervisors on Tuesday unanimously approved a $15,385 contract with Dynamix Consulting Group to help create a plan to improve the fire services in the township.

Dynamix in September released a 143-page study of the township's fire services, outlining the need for better communication and coordination to provide better service in the township.

Township officials have said response time is not a concern.

[Newtown Fire Chief Glenn Forsyth, however, voiced concern over maintaining an adequate response time for the Newtown Fire Department as a major reason why he requested that the township apply for a SAFER Grant. LINK: https://sco.lt/7PKBlY]

But the report does raise concerns about conflicts between volunteer and paid firefighters and years of complaints that some believed had gone ignored.

[NOTE: A study commissioned by Newtown Twp from a different consultant raised the same issues.]

Consultants recommended coordinating records for both paid and volunteer services. It also recommended the township hire someone to supervise and coordinate all fire services in the township. Don Harris, Newtown Township's former fire marshal, has been appointed in the Interim Director of Fire and Emergency management.

At the January 12, 2022, Newtown Board of Supervisors (BOS) public meeting, Fire Chief Glenn Forsyth spoke about the reason why he is seeking approval to submit the third application to FEMA for a Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) grant.

Chief Forsyth explained why the grant is important to Newtown. According to Forsyth, the Township is "struggling" to meet the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) timeframe standards for getting crews to fire locations. NFPA says first fire truck from a paid department should arrive within 4 minutes to a fire scene, volunteers within 9 minutes.

Supervisor John Mack asked him why he thought the 3rd time would be the charm. His response was very enlightening.

In the end, the BOS approved the application unanimously.

Several Newtown Township residents met with Supervisor John Mack via Zoom on Monday October 18, 2021, to discuss the Manager’s Recommended Budget and Toll Bros recommended settlement agreement. This meeting took place just prior to the Budget Presentation before the Board of Supervisors.

Some highlights of the Meet Mack Monday meeting include:

• Status of SAFER grant, which would allow the township to hire five (5) additional full time firefighters at a cost of $1.8 million dollars to pay the cost of the firefighters for the years 2022, 2023, and 2024.

• Police Hiring and New Police Vehicles: The Police Chief wants to purchase three police patrol vehicles in 2021 and hire one additional full-time officer.

• eConsult Study: Does the Manager’s proposed 2022 budget follow the recommendation of the October 2020 e Consult study?

• Increase Tax for Fire Protection Fund: Also discussed at this Meet Mack Monday was the $300,000 to be added to the Fire Protection Fund and given to the Newtown Fire Association (NFA) to help provide coverage on weekends. That money will come from the proposed 1.5 mill tax increase.

See more details and listen to the discussion…