Volunteer Fire Company Consolidation Considered In Bensalem

BENSALEM TOWNSHIP, PA —With the township's first fire chief now on board, Bensalem officials are planning the next step in the process: consolidating its volunteer fire companies.

Bensalem recently hired Mark Antozzeski as its first career fire chiefin township history. He will oversee the career fire department and the township's six volunteer fire companies.

While Bensalem has a full-time fire department, it also has six volunteer fire companies.

They include the Eddington Fire Company, Cornwells Fire Company, Nottingham Fire Company, Newport Fire Company, Union Fire Company, and the Trevose Fire Company.

Public Safety Director William McVey told Patch that Antozzeski's hiring "is a big piece of this process."

McVey said the township has been working for two years on a consolidation plan for its volunteer fire companies and is ready to move forward.

He said the consolidation plan will be presented at an upcoming Bensalem Township Council meeting and that the volunteer fire companies need to vote on it as well.

Antozzeski will oversee eight full-time and four part-time career firefighters and 160 volunteer firefighters. He will report to McVey.

Antozzeski served in the same role in Middletown Township for the past year.