Cops, Courts & Fire -Bensalem Township
Bensalem Twp Council To Vote On Volunteer Fire Company Consolidation Monday Night
Just under two years ago at a Bristol Borough Council meeting, officials were getting an update on the then planned fire company consolidation effort by Steve Reeves, president of the Bristol Borough Fire Association. At the time, talk of consolidating fire companies in the borough and Bristol Township was a hot topic.
During his presentation Reeves mentioned consolidation talks of the Bensalem fire company volunteer services were also in progress. At the time tidbit was not in the public domain.
Credit: Submitted
If the resolution is passed, the six legacy fire companies, including Cornwells, Eddington, Newport, Nottingham, Trevose, and Union, will be consolidated into one volunteer fire department. This consolidation plan is necessary to ensure adequate fire/emergency response within the township because of reduced membership amongst the current companies, a press release announced late Friday afternoon.
Credit: Submitted
Reeves knew what he was talking about at the time. Lower Bucks Source in the following days reached out to area first responder sources, officials and Bensalem area volunteer firefighters. No one anywhere would go on or off the record. LBS was directed, by Battalion Chief/Fire Marshal Robert Sponheimer, to the Deputy Director of Public Safety Robert Race who politely declined to respond to a request for comment at the time.
Credit: Submitted
Late last year, according to a Lower Bucks Times report, Bensalem officials spoke rather openly about dwindling volunteer numbers. This led William McVey, director of public safety, to ask for council approval to apply for a SAFER (Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response) grant through FEMA, which was subsequently approved in November by council.
This past February the township announced the hiring of Mark Antozzeski as the first career Fire Chief in Bensalem history. He is leading the volunteer fire services, as well as Bensalem Fire Rescue, career staff. McVey told Bensalem Patch.com the hiring was an important piece of the consolidation process.
Credit: Submitted
Earlier this month, Nottingham Fire Department Chief Ron Harris was named the Bensalem Volunteer Fire Department Deputy Chief as part of the consolidation effort, according to published report.
Credit: Submitted
Beginning Friday evening, shortly after receiving the Bensalem announcement on the expected consolidation vote, first responder sources Lower Bucks Source contacted said that back in 2022 when first contacted they declined to comment because the topic was sensitive in nature and a real possibility of backlash existed and concerns about “sabotaging” the process were also omnipresent. Those sources again declined to comment on the record.
Consolidation Efforts in Bristol Borough & Bristol Township
In February, Bristol Borough voted to consolidate their volunteer fire services. Prior to that step the borough approved applying for a Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program Grant in the amount of $1.5 to build a new fire house at a yet to be determined location.
As far back as February of 2022, a smaller plan in size and scope was being discussed in Bristol Township involving Newportville Fire Company #1, Third District Fire Company with career fire personnel from the township which came off the heels of a fire study completed in 2020. That plan is no longer in play, fire officials say. Third District Fire Chief Howard McGoldrick said it’s a “complete mystery” why Newportville ultimately decided against the discussed move and merger.
” Volunteer fire services in Bucks County are changing right before our eyes” one first responder said last year.
Credit: Submitted
In each of the consolidation efforts, public safety, declining volunteer numbers and increasing costs have been cited repeatedly by officials publicly.
“It’s just not sustainable anymore financially for fire companies, the municipalities they serve, and taxpayers. It’s consolidate or die”, a high ranking first responder source said Friday.
Bensalem Council is expected to pass the resolution with its vote tonight.
Editor’s Note: Each of the images in this story come from the volunteer fire companies serving Bensalem Township.
Cops, Courts & Fire -Bensalem Township
Cops: Motorist Driving “Erratically” on Street Rd Arrested for Fleeing, DUI
A early morning Tuesday fire in Bensalem took the life of one woman and firefighters were able to rescue a man, community sources told Lower Bucks Source.
Bensalem fire companies were dispatched for the reports of a dwelling fire in the 2900 of Bellview Drive at around 2:45 a.m with possible entrapment.
Police officers on scene reported two residents were unaccounted for and believed to be inside. Fire crews initiated an aggressive quick search and attack of the fire, where a male was immediately located by the doorway, Bensalem Volunteer Fire Department, officials said.
The woman killed in the fire was located shortly thereafter, fire officials said.
Firefighters arrived to find heavy smoke and flames coming from the home, officials said.
An on scene witness said they saw a man was taken to the hospital by Bensalem EMS. His condition is unknown as of publication time.
The identity of the woman killed in the blaze has not been released
The fire caused the closure of Bellview Dr, from Morrow Drive to the entrance of Faust Elementary for several hours.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation of the fire marshal’s office.
“The thoughts and prayers of our entire department go out to the family and friends of those affected by this tragedy. It’s a sad day for our Nottingham Village families” said Bensalem Volunteer Fire Dept officials.
Cops
Emergency Crews Prepare for Incoming Blizzard as Lower Bucks Municipalities Declare Storm Plans
Lower Bucks municipalities have declared disaster/snow emergencies in advance of the expected snow storm that the National Weather Service says will dump anywhere between 14 to 18 inches on the area.
A winter storm warning is still in effect from Sunday, Feb 22 to Monday, Feb 23.
Each municipality has its own link. For more information and updates, please click on their associated link.
Bensalem Township – Disaster Emergency declared immediately for the pending snow storm. Click here to see more details.
Bristol Borough – Snow information/requirements have been posted on their website. Click here to see the details.
Bristol Township – Snow Emergency effective 12 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 22, 2026 through 12 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 24, 2026. Click here to see more details.
Falls Township – Snow Emergency starts Sunday, Feb. 22 at 6 p.m. and expires on Tuesday, Feb. 24 at 6 a.m. Click here for details.
Langhorne Borough – Snow Emergency starts Sunday, Feb. 22 at noon until Tuesday, Feb. 24 at 10 a.m. No parking. Click here for details.
Lower Makefield Township – Snow information has been posted on Meta. Click here to see the details.
Middletown Township – Snow Emergency is in effect from Sunday, Feb. 22 at 12 p.m. to Monday, Feb. 23 at 12 p.m. . Click here to see details.
Morrisville Borough – Snow Emergency is in effect from Sunday, Feb. 22 at 5 p.m. to Monday, Feb. 23 at 5 p.m. Click here to see the details.
Newtown Township – A Snow Emergency is in effect from 4 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 22, 2026 until 4 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 23, 2026. Click here to see the details.
Penndel Borough – Snow Emergency has been declared from 12 p.m. on Sunday, February 22, 2026, through 12 p.m. on Monday, February 23, 2026. Click here for more details and click here for more on the ordinance.
Tullytown Borough – Snow Emergency proclamation in effect from Sunday Feb. 22 – 6 p.m. to Monday Feb. 23 – 6 p.m. Click here to see more details.
Warminster Township – Disaster Emergency has been declared for the incoming snow storm, effective Sunday Feb. 22, 2026 at 12 p.m. through Tuesday, Feb. 24,2026 at 12 p.m.. Click here to see the details and click here to see the declaration from Township Manager Tom Scott.
Yardley Borough – Snow Emergency proclamation in effect from Sunday Feb. 22 – 4 p.m. to Monday Feb. 23 – 4 p.m. . Click here to see the details. and click here to see declaration/other information from Mayor Caroline Thompson.
The primary concern is safety. Take care of yourselves and check on neighbors and those who may be vulnerable.
Please stay safe, take all necessary precautions, and keep your devices charged.
Click here for updates from the National Weather Service
Click here for PECO’s outage map.
-
Cops, Courts & Fire -Bristol Township4 weeks agoMan Charged For Murdering Girlfriend in Oaktree Section Of Levittown
-
Cops, Courts & Fire -Falls Township2 weeks agoFairless Hill Man Arrested on False Imprisonment, Aggravated Assault Charges After Text Breakup
-
Breaking News - Bristol Township4 weeks agoCops: Death Investigation Going On in Oaktree Section of Levittown at Home Just Put Up for Sale
-
Human Interest - Bensalem Township3 weeks agoNearby: 67 Year-Old Levittown Woman Charged for Threatening SEPTA Bus Passengers, Racially Incendiary Remarks
-
Cops, Courts & Fire -Bristol Township3 weeks agoCroydon Burglary Thwarted by 11 Year-Olds Call for Help
-
Cops, Courts & Fire -Bristol Borough4 weeks agoBristol Woman Charged, Jailed in Dog Attack of Bristol Borough Police Officer
-
Breaking News - Bensalem Township2 weeks agoPredator Poachers Nab Philly Man Allegedly Seeking Sex with 11 Year-Old in Bensalem
-
Cops, Courts & Fire -Bristol Borough3 days agoBristol Borough Fire Chiefs Statement on Dorrance Street Fire