'Short-Staffed' Fire Companies Seek Recruiting Help In Warminster

WARMINSTER, PA —They were there to promote Fire Prevention Week. But firefighters from the Warminster and Hartsville fire companies showed up before the Warminster township supervisors to seek help with recruiting efforts.

Warminster Fire Chief Mitch Shapiro made an impassioned plea to supervisors at last Thursday's meeting for help with recruiting in which he said finding firefighters to join the ranks is almost impossible.

"We did a recruitment drive and we got zero," Shapiro told supervisors. "We figured maybe we should try an electronic billboard. Maybe we’d at least get interest once we got the message out."

Shapiro stated that the Hartsville Fire Company has picked up no new recruits since the Covid-19 pandemic started. He said the Warminster Fire Department pick up six volunteers during that period but none for daytime service, when fire departments often need the most coverage.

"We are short-staffed," the chief said. "We have guys working in their 60s. The recruiting has been very disappointing. We're running very light."

Daily squad or EMS calls during the day "taxes" volunteers, said Shapiro, adding that the fire departments had three this past week.

Shapiro asked township officials for suggestions to bolster the ranks.

Supervisors Chairman Kenneth Hayes also asked Shapiro about recruiting more women as firefighter volunteers.

Last month, the board recognized Lynn Kirkner as a volunteer firefighter for the Hartsville Fire Company No. 1 for four decades.

Shapiro said there are three women serving as volunteer firefighters in the township.

He said firefighter training can be extensive with 200 hours at school needed for basic training and 400 hours necessary for career firefighters.

Both fire departments teamed up this past weekend for a fire prevention event at Nativity of Our Lord School.

Anyone interested in becoming a township volunteer firefighter should reach out to the Warminster Fire Departmentand the Hartsville Fire Company No. 1.