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Montgomery Township weighs shift to 24/7 career fire staffing, board reviews phased cost options
Summary
Officials reviewed a proposal to convert the township fire department to a combined 24/7 career-and-volunteer model, including a 19‑hire plan and a phased six‑per‑year alternative; staff presented detailed wage and overtime estimates and residents pressed for clearer tax and facilities forecasts.
Montgomery Township supervisors discussed a proposal to expand the township fire department from weekday career coverage to a full 24/7 career staffing model supplemented by volunteers, reviewing cost estimates, operational changes and public outreach plans.
Township staff presented two options: hire 19 full‑time firefighters immediately (staff estimate roughly $3,000,000 in total new costs) or phase in hires at six per year (with a seventh in the final year), which staff estimated would reduce near‑term new‑hire costs to roughly $1,000,000. Staff said the phased six‑hire scenario still creates significant overtime needs; payroll calculations using the department’s collective bargaining agreement produced an estimated $575,702.08 in overtime for 2026 under the six‑hire plan and projected roughly a 0.27 mill increase to township taxes.
“Those numbers were reviewed by the finance director, myself, and Chief Wegman,” the…
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