ALLENTOWN, Pa. – While Lehigh County Executive Josh Siegel took office promoting a plan that would encourage regionalizing local police departments, a plan to do the same for area fire departments appears to be picking up steam.
Siegel said last week that he's met with local leaders in nearly every municipality in the county about pooling resources for first responders. Many of those communities have expressed an eagerness to explore partnerships for firefighters, he said.
The conversations have developed as communities across the Lehigh Valley and Pennsylvania have struggled with rising costs and a shortage of volunteers. The state estimated volunteer firefighter levels have dropped by approximately 92% from 360,000 in 1975 to 30,000.
Stephanie Sigafoos
"I think most folks would agree that the model of volunteerism, while there's a lot of pride and passion for it and a rich historic tradition for it, there's just been a massive decline. It's a model that is outliving its lifespan," Siegel said.
What those regional departments might look like is still up for discussion. Siegel said departments and municipalities are still in early stages of planning. The county has invited state officials to the Lehigh County Conference of Governments meeting in September to talk about regional models that other communities have adopted, he said.
Rising costs, less staff
Siegel made regionalization efforts a priority of his on the campaign trail last year, promoting the improved services and efficiencies that merging first responder organizations could provide. The platform also provided opportunities for Roger MacLean, his Republican opponent, to push back, noting that many communities would not want to give up local control of their police force.
Siegel acknowledged that conversations about merging police have been mixed through the first six months of his administration, but local leaders have expressed interest in the possibility of partnerships for fire departments.
Strains on the system already are showing. Lower Milford Township and North Whitehall Township have raised property taxes in recent years so that they can replace aging equipment. Bethlehem Township signed a contract for a new pumper truck last year; paying half the amount upfront allowed the township to purchase it at a discount – an estimated $1.3 million. Ladder trucks, also known as aerials, generally cost more.
But the best equipment in the world is of limited use if departments can't quickly respond when a call comes in. Siegel said it's more common today to see people commuting longer distances to work, leaving them unable to get to their local station and gear up.
With municipalities hamstrung on costs and manpower, mergers already have started to take place. Lower Macungie Township's fire department absorbed Alburtis' in 2023 after years of planning. The township continues to use the Alburtis firehouse to respond to emergencies in the borough and southern points of the township.
Stephanie Sigafoos
But mergers aren't the only option on the table, Siegel said. Municipalities may explore memorandums of understanding that would allow them to share equipment. Given the rising costs, it may not be feasible for municipalities to purchase every tool for every emergency.
"A lot of these municipalities struggle. They fundraise as much as they can, but they find themselves asking for very limited resources from the state," Siegel said.
Splitting costs for professional personnel may also be an option. Whitehall Township, he said, has started to hire full-time firefighters to fill in gaps in volunteer service. The township rotates these firefighters to stations as needed.
At some point, it may make sense for the county to explore a fully professional countywide department, Siegel said. As the county grows, firefighters will increasingly find themselves in need of specialized training to respond to specific crises such as hazardous chemicals or water rescues. It isn't realistic to expect volunteers to acquire these developed skill sets without compensation, Siegel said.
"Eventually, you have to offer a pension, healthcare and wages. That's what's ultimately going to attract young people into the profession," Siegel said.
If the days of a county-led operation ever come about, it won't be anytime soon, Siegel said. For now, the county is just trying to foster conversations about how to bolster services and save money.
"The next step is to get them all in one room and have a third-party entity like the commonwealth share the research and practices of regionalization," he said. "I can't force any of these outcomes, and I can't compel any of the municipalities to do anything."