Fire commission backs McDonough Green concept, endorses concept for two more stations and first‑year staffing plan

The Lancaster County Fire Commission voted to proceed with the McDonough Green station concept and endorsed the concept of adding two more stations in future years, approving a first‑year staffing model and delegating later location decisions to the fire commission.

The vote implements the long‑running regional station discussion that the commission brought before council earlier. Commissioners emphasized that McDonough Green is the immediate next step in a multi‑year plan and that the locations for the proposed second and third stations will be determined later by the commission.

Commissioners and volunteer station representatives debated operational details before the vote, including which calls the new McDonough Green crew would cover, whether paid personnel would be assigned full‑time to that station or act as a supplement to volunteers, and how mutual‑aid dispatches would be routed while the system expands. Several speakers urged that the county decide only the concept now and defer precise siting of later stations until more data and budget figures are available.

Multiple speakers raised concerns about staffing utilization: whether two paid personnel per shift at McDonough Green would spend much time checking trucks and waiting for calls rather than supplementing response countywide, and how the West Side and other existing crews would be affected when paid crews respond outside their home coverage areas. Commissioners stressed that the McDonough Green facility would be the first step and that coverage would improve as the second and third stations come online.

Funding and timing were central subjects. Staff said the McDonough Green move would not occur before the end of the current budget year and that budget numbers had already been prepared; adjustments could be made depending on council action. Commission staff estimated multi‑year staffing and operational costs would be substantial (discussed in the meeting as roughly in the low millions over a two‑year period), and cautioned that a fully career fire service would be far more expensive (an older, countywide staffing estimate cited in the discussion dated to 2006 was referenced as much larger). Speakers urged continuing volunteer recruitment and retention efforts to avoid eroding volunteer ranks as career staffing expands.

Motion and roll call: A motion to proceed with McDonough Green, to support the concept of two additional stations (locations to be determined later), and to move forward with the first‑year staffing model at McDonough Green was made and seconded. The commission took a roll‑call vote and the motion passed; the final tally given in the meeting transcript was 9 yes, 6 no.

The commission directed that later decisions about the exact placement of the second and third stations, and detailed staffing placement of paid personnel, involve the fire commission in coordination with county council and relevant intergovernmental agreements.

The commission also instructed staff to include the first‑year staffing numbers in upcoming budget materials for county council review so the council can see multi‑year cost projections.

Votes at a glance: Motion — "Proceed with McDonough Green (as approved) and support the concept of adding two more stations with locations to be determined by the fire commission; adopt first‑year staffing plan at McDonough Green, with year‑2 and year‑3 staffing to follow." Outcome: approved (roll call, 9 yes, 6 no).