5 New Career Firefighters Join Department In Newtown Township

NEWTOWN TOWNSHIP, PA — Five new firefighters have joined the career staff at Newtown Fire Rescue bringing the department's full-time complement up to 12.

On Wednesday night, they were sworn in by District Judge Mick Petrucci during a meeting of the board of supervisors. Taking the oath of office were firefighters Lucas Rosenthal, Dan Burk, Tyler Starkey, Meg Cox, and Ethan Tecker.

• Lucas Rosenthal comes to Newtown from Bristol Township Fire Rescue where he started last year as a firefighter. Lucas currently lives in Doylestown. He also works part-time with the Lambertville Fire Department and has been a volunteer firefighter for the past six years with the Midway Volunteer Fire Company.
• Dan Burk, a Pennsbury graduate, comes to Newtown with 16 years of experience in the fire service as a volunteer, career firefighter and EMT. He most recently worked for Trenton Mercer Airport as a captain running one of their shifts of firefighters.
• Tyler Starkey, of Pipersville, is an entrepreneur owning his own contracting company and started his fire service career with Midway Fire Company in 2009. He is currently a volunteer firefighter with Delaware Valley Fire Company.
• Meg Cox has six years in the fire service and has worked at Lower Southampton for the past four years attaining the position of assistant fire marshal. Cox lives in Conshohocken Borough and volunteers with the Nottingham Fire Department.
• Ethan Tecker is a resident of Wrightstown Township and current Deputy Fire Chief of the Lingohocken Fire Company. Ethan started his fire service career with them in 2017 and obtained his Bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from Temple University. Ethan lives on his family's horse farm with his fiancé, Katie, who is a local veterinarian.

Fire Chief Glenn Forsyth, left, and Assistant Chief Nicholas Weaver, right, with the five new career firefighters. (Photo by Jeff Werner)

In addition to welcoming the five new career firefighters, Chief Glenn Forsyth announced the promotion of Joe Martindell and Steve Katz to the rank of career lieutenant.

"With the hiring of the five firefighters we have been able to extend our full-time service to seven days a week," said Chief Forsyth. "Now with having two platoons working to protect Newtown Township and Newtown Borough, it's my privilege to introduce two gentlemen who have worked very hard on the progress we have made over the last several years."

Martindell has been with the department since 1998. In those 26 years, he has accumulated numerous certifications. For the past 15 years he has served as Firefighter in Charge. He is married to his wife Sandy and has two children.

Katz has been a member of the department since 2001. In those 22 years, he accumulated numerous fire certifications. He has served as the Firefighter in Charge for the past four years. He is married to his wife Karen and has two young boys.

Joe Martindell is sworn in as a career lieutenant. (Photo by Jeff Werner)

Steve Katz is sworn in by Judge Petrucci as a new career fire lieutenant. (Photo by Jeff Werner)

Four of the new career positions are being paid for by a $1.5 million SAFER grant awarded to Newtown Township in 2023 by the federal government. The grant is funding their salaries for the next three years. One position is replacing a firefighter who left the department.

The four additional firefighters expand the township's full-time staff to 12 career firefighters enabling it to have two six-person platoons. They will cover the township and the borough seven days a week from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. "ensuring swift response to emergencies," said Chief Forsyth.

The career staff will be supplemented by the company’s volunteer firefighters who remain on call 24/7. They provide the primary response outside the daytime hours.

The men and women of Newtown Fire Rescue. (Photo by Jeff Werner)