Fire Department to Propose New $15.8 Million Equipment Replacement Policy

The Lower Merion Township Fire Department plans to ask the Board of Commissioners to adopt a new 20-year, $15.8 million fire apparatus replacement policy for its six volunteer companies in the coming April cycle. The previous equipment-replacement policy expired in late 2010.

The policy, outlined by township Fire Chief Charles McGarvey at the board's March 2 meeting, establishes a timeline for the purchase of three new pieces of equipment for each of the township's six companies by 2030. The final cost, adjusted for 5 percent annual inflation, would be paid for with monies from the township's Capital Projects Fund created through the sale of general obligation bonds.

Although the policy is non-binding, McGarvey said it is important for his force that the township adopt it. McGarvey said the proposal would provide security and certainty for the companies while allowing the township necessary financial flexibility. It also, he added, accounts for the uncertain future of the department itself.

"I think [the policy] shows the volunteers that we're there to support them and that we've got a plan for the future. It doesn't make sense to make this a binding contract because we don't know where we're gonna be in five years. By that time we could be a combination house," McGarvey said, alluding to the possibility of several of the companies coalescing into one to cut costs.

Township assistant manager Pat Ryan emphasized the certainty the policy would provide the fire companies.

"It gives the companies an idea of when they're due to get new equipment, so they don't have to just run in and say, 'We need a ladder this year,'" added Ryan. "They know when they're roughly due to get a new ladder."

McGarvey added that new equipment doesn't only maximize the ability of the volunteer force to do their job, but helps recruitment and retention for the individual companies. The scarcity of firemen is a problem in municipalities across the state.

"Volunteerism across the nation is down. In the '70s we had 300,000 volunteer firefighters in Pennsylvania. Today that's down to 50,000. While we're fortunate in Lower Merion to have six volunteer companies serve us, that's a concern. But guys take pride in the new apparatuses, and that helps recruitment," said McGarvey, adding that volunteering has also become increasingly demanding. In 1978 , he said, it took 32 hours to get accreditation while today it takes 166.

Ryan agreed that new equipment is an effective recruiting tool, and added that all expenditures for the companies need to be understood in the context of an important fact: all of Lower Merion's fire companies are composed of volunteers.

"Part of [the policy] is recruitment and retention, you keep more of your volunteers when they have a piece of equipment that they're excited about," said Ryan. "And we do get some money back when we sell the old equipment, but we like to have really state-of-the-art ... good equipment that we know is going to be functional."

Plus, Ryan said, you want to avoid reaching the point where repairs to outdated equipment are costing the companies money.

McGarvey added that the department wouldn't consider the policy a license to spend either. Sensitive to the importance of austerity, he said they've pushed a 15 year recommended replacement time back to 20 years for some equipment.

Which still, according to township CFO Dean Dortone, is a long time.

"Think about that. 20 years with a piece of equipment that is state-of-the-art, has a lot of technical aspects," Dortone said.