Middletown Twp. Hires First Paid Fire Chief

MIDDLETOWN TOWNSHIP, PA —The township has its first "career" fire chief.

Fire Chief Mark Antozzeski —who began his tenure on Feb. 13 —joins the township from New Jersey where he served as chief of Hamilton Fire District #9 for 19 years.

He was expected to be sworn in at the township's supervisors' meeting Tuesday night.

Antozzeski, who is a 40-year fire service veteran, will be tasked with overseeing the township's paid fire and emergency service crews and coordinating its four volunteer fire companies, according to published reports.

The move was welcomed by several fire companies in the township and area.

"He will have a lot to offer all of the Middletown Township fire companies. We’re looking forward to working alongside Chief 244," Penndel Volunteer Fire Company No. 1 said in a Facebook post.

"Please join us in welcoming the first Middletown Township Career Fire Chief," Middletown Fire & Emergency Services posted on its Facebook page.

"Congratulations and best of luck," the Nottingham Fire Department.

The Penndel Volunteer Fire Company No. 1 said Antozzeski's education and experience will benefit the community.

The fire company said the process to create a paid fire chief's position took several years and involved all the township's companies working closely with township officials.

"We are excited to have him join the team," Township Supervisors Chairwoman Anna Payne told Patch Tuesday.

Levittown Now reported that Antozzeski will help organize the independent volunteer companies, which are Langhorne-Middletown, Parkland, Penndel, and William Penn, but that each squad will still be led by its own chief.

A 2021 report recommended that Middletown Township use a combined model of paid crews and volunteer fire companies to foster cooperation and integration.