Career Firefighter Coverage Expanded In Northampton Township

NORTHAMPTON TOWNSHIP, PA —With a township that is 27 square miles and includes 40,000 residents, the Northampton Township Fire Department has a lot of ground and people to cover.

And for most of that time, career firefighter coverage could not be provided around the clock. Until Sunday.

"This is a big deal," said Fire Chief Adam Selisker, who is also the township supervisors chairman. "This is an important step in improving coverage.

On Sunday, the fire department expanded its career firefighter coverage to a 24/7 truck staffed every day of the year. That truck will be manned in the Richboro Station, Selisker said.

Like most municipalities in Bucks County, fire departments have suffered from a shortage of volunteers.

"It's a national crisis," Selisker said. "We're not immune."

And with tightening municipal budgets, hiring full-time firefighters can be challenging for some towns.

"With a township our size, we feel we have some issues and special circumstances," Selisker said.

While it didn't happen overnight, the township now employs 22 career firefighters, basically doubling that number since 2020.

"It was a slow growth that took 14 years," he said.

In 2009, the township hired four career firefighters. That covered a shift on one truck from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. In 2020, six more were added.

That allowed the career staff to cover a 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. shift, but it was difficult to provide adequate coverage overnight with volunteer firefighters only, Selisker said.

Selisker said the new coverage significantly improves response times, ensuring help arrives faster for fire, rescue, and critical medical emergencies, which career firefighters can also handle.

The department has four platoons handling the 24/7 service at the Richboro station.

"The Northampton Township Supervisors always have made public safety a priority," Selisker said. "We recognize the weight and understand what it means to make sure our citizens are safe. We've taken the obligation as a top priority."

With that in mind, township officials worked to secure FEMA SAFER grants that helped pay for career firefighters for a few years and got the program started, Selisker said. He also added that two-thirds of the township's $3 million fire department budget is devoted to salaries.

"Other municipalities need to start looking at what we do," he said. "We can be a guide and a model."

Still, Northampton and surrounding communities have a mutual aid agreement to assist each other during an emergency.

"We can't count on volunteer manpower," Selisker said. "That's why we have to have career service. How long do you want to wait for a fire truck? It's critical."

The township isn't finished though. It wants to expand the expansion beyond Richboro.

"We plan to expand to a second crew and cover the rest of the township," he said.

The fire department could use more volunteers. Anyone interested in volunteering should call 215-357-8277 for information.