Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Fire Services topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Township chiefs urge study after ISO change; board discusses feasibility, grants and staffing options
Summary
Fire chiefs and volunteers told commissioners that an ISO rating change and response‑time concerns merit a coordinated review; managers proposed a feasibility study and a steering committee of chiefs to evaluate paid/combination staffing, grant options and interdepartment coordination.
Fire chiefs and several residents raised public‑safety concerns at the Oct. 15 North Huntingdon board meeting after a recent Insurance Services Office (ISO) reassessment highlighted training‑documentation and staffing issues.
George Forner read a statement from Assistant Chief Ryan Sanica saying the department’s ISO rating rose from 5 to 10 after reviewers determined required in‑house structural firefighting training hours were not documented; Forner said the department submitted 20.5 training hours and a 2025 training schedule and sought retroactive approval but had not received confirmation. Sam Bray, a 24‑year firefighter and EMT, told the board “the volunteer fire system is broken not just here but all over the country” and urged an open, unbiased feasibility study of fire service delivery and consideration of a combination paid/volunteer staffing model.
Chiefs present — including Skip Cook (Fairmont Township) and Craig Kokon (Circal Fire Department) — described ongoing coordination among departments, efforts to apply for FEMA SAFER grants to fund paid positions temporarily, and actions to improve training and staffing policies. Manager Faulk recommended a feasibility study and suggested forming a steering committee of local chiefs to review first‑due responsibilities, staffing gaps and funding options.
Commissioners agreed to further meetings with the chiefs and to explore the existing Pennsylvania Economy League study the department previously commissioned; some chiefs asked the board to ‘table’ formal action while chiefs and staff develop a joint approach. No formal vote or policy change occurred at the meeting; the board discussed next steps that would likely include a steering committee, review of past studies and consideration of grant applications to fund transition steps.
Next steps: Commissioners and fire chiefs will meet to review possible feasibility‑study scope, revisit earlier studies if available, pursue SAFER grant opportunities and consider a steering committee to recommend operational and funding changes.
