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Montgomery Township proposes hiring 19 career firefighters to reverse rising response times
Summary
Township officials say volunteer numbers and response reliability have fallen; Chief Bill Wegman outlined a plan to hire 19 career firefighters (four platoons) and asked the Board to consider a proposed 1.4‑mill real estate tax increase to fund the change.
Chief Bill Wegman said Montgomery Township is considering a move from a combination volunteer/career fire department to a fully staffed, 24/7 career model to address lengthening emergency response times and declining volunteer availability.
"Time, time is our biggest enemy," Wegman said, describing how modern building construction and petroleum‑based home contents speed fires toward flashover. He cited national guidance from the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA)—which recommends enough trained personnel to safely manage structure fires—and local response data showing a widening gap between career and volunteer response times. Wegman said township career staff average about "4 minutes and 25 seconds" from dispatch to arrival during daytime hours in 2025, while volunteer apparatus averaged "9 minutes and 49 seconds" so far in 2025 across roughly…
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