Montgomery County is experiencing a critical decline in volunteer firefighters, with numbers dropping by 70 percent. This decline, coupled with a spike in emergency responses has raised concern in the community and what this crisis means for the future.

According to the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development, out of 2,559 municipalities in Pennsylvania, only 33 have fully paid fire departments. Additionally, 1,300 municipalities rely solely on the State Police, and 1,679 municipalities depend entirely on volunteer fire departments. As local Police, Fire, and EMS face serious staffing concerns, it raises concern about affecting people in the area. How can our community incentivize volunteering and law enforcement as a profession?

The Chamber of Commerce for Greater Montgomery County recently hosted a powerful panel to address the rising risks for local businesses amidst emergency management challenges in Montgomery County. Carolyn McCreary from Montgomery Township moderated the panel with local emergency leadership including Chief Bill Wiegman of Montgomery Township Fire Department, Chief J. Scott Bendig of Montgomery Township Police Department, Chief Michael Pitkow of Springfield Township Police Department, Chief Shane Wheeler of VMSC Lansdale, and Lansdale Borough Emergency Management Coordinator Richard Lesniak. Each leader expressed numerous concerns about what they have seen in their area and raised the question of who will put out the fires or help in emergencies if these concerns are not addressed.

Bendig emphasized that financial incentives are unsustainable for attracting long-term commitment to the police force. When front-end bonuses are offered for joining the force, it most often is unsuccessful in keeping people employed because there is no genuine passion for serving the force. Because of this, the police force continues to be in an employment crisis. Bendig believes that the key to solving the crisis is making a career in law enforcement more appealing to younger generations.

Because of recent events of police brutality, the reputation of law enforcement is at an all-time low. Wheeler highlighted outreach programs targeting schools and EMT programs aimed at instilling a sense of duty in the younger generation.

Despite the staffing crisis, local firehouses and police stations have adapted by relying on neighboring departments for assistance. The interdepartmental cooperation, while necessary, spreads its resources thin and increases response times. Wiegman expressed concerns that for every call, it takes volunteers up to an hour due to travel from their place of work or home. This means with about ten calls a day, ten hours are spent. This is especially a concern with such little full-time staff and response times increasing, meaning disasters can be more likely to occur.

McCreary shared in recent news, that three volunteer fire departments in New Jersey have closed due to staffing issues. Lesniak believes the only way to stop this from happening in Montgomery County is to address the staffing concerns proactively. While the incentive is low to become a volunteer, Lesniak believes that a means to reduce emergency calls is to propel community education on fire prevention. Although teaching the community “stop, drop, and roll” is important, Lesniak believes that teaching children and employees how to avoid starting fires could ultimately help alleviate the strain on volunteer firehouses.

With mental health concerns on the rise, Pitkow was asked how he is stopping the mental health “fire” before it starts. Pitkow recognizes the rise of mental health concerns within police enforcement, and with the use of Crisis Intervention Training, he is teaching officers how to deal with mental health concerns within the community in which they work and with their coworkers. The program works to emphasize principles of violence prevention, de-escalation, and community collaboration.

While the panel mutually agreed their departments are handling the employment crisis effectively, they unanimously expressed their concerns for the future. The Chamber of Commerce for Greater Montgomery County is pleased to be able to help facilitate this conversation in the hopes of spreading awareness about this issue and for businesses to understand the significance of this issue.

Learn more at The Chamber of Commerce for Greater Montgomery County. Organized in 1913, The Chamber of Commerce for Greater Montgomery County is one of the oldest chambers in Pennsylvania, the largest business association in the County, and the leading business advocate for area businesses.