Full-Time Firefighter Hirings Underway In Warminster

WARMINSTER, PA —The full-time firefighter hiring process has begun.

The Hartsville Fire Company provided an update on the status of the township's full-time firefighter hires following the township and its two fire companies finalizing a deal in June for the hirings of three firefighters to provide daytime coverage.

Township officials and the fire chiefs from the Hartsville Fire Company and Warminster Fire Department worked on a plan to attract and hire the best possible candidates.

Last week, candidates were administered a written test by the Bucks County Community College Public Safety Training Center.

Those who successfully passed the test were invited back over the past weekend for a practical test.

Fire officials said that interviews will be conducted over the next several weeks.

Once hired, the new township firefighters will go through training on fire company apparatus, and standard operating guidelines, and become familiar with Warminster Township.

Both fire companies look forward to supporting this program in the future.

No timetable has been given for when a firefighter would be hired or whether all three would be hired at once.

Over the past few years, township officials and its two fire companies —the Warminster Fire Department and the Hartsville Fire Company —have disagreed about why the township does not have daytime fire coverage.

The two fire companies held town hall meetings at the beginning of the year to state their case to residents that fire officials tried to seek funding for full-time firefighters. The fire companies have criticized the township for failing to provide adequate daytime coverage.

The fire department argued that Warminster received a $1.8 million SAFER grant two years ago to pay for five full-time firefighters for three years but the township never enacted it.

Township officials hope to have both fire companies present at the July township supervisors meeting for a formal ceremony on the agreement.

Fire officials said that anyone interested in a career in the fire service can reach out. Free training will be provided that will earn eligibility for a full-time career position, fire officials said.

The starting salary is $65,000 per year or $31.25 per hour, officials said.

The position comes with health, dental, and vision insurance benefits, an employer-paid retirement plan benefit, and two weeks of annual paid vacation.