Cops, Courts & Fire -Bensalem Township

FEMA Grant Awarded to 5 Lower Bucks Fire Companies in Three Municipalities for Protective Equipment

Published

4 years ago

September 19, 2021

Last week it was announced a Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) grant was awarded to five area fire companies to provide firefighters with state of the art respirator protection.

The grant was announced at the Bristol Borough Council meeting by Mayor Joseph Saxton last week.

Fire companies that were awarded are Bristol Consolidated Fire Company – Station 50, Bristol Fire Company – Station 51, Cornwellls Fire Company #1 – Station 16, Newportville Fire Company – Station 12, and Third District Fire Company – Station 14 who sponsored and submitted the grant, officials said.

The funding comes from the regional FEMA Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG).

“The grant will provide the firefighters with state of the art respirator protection. Self contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) are one of the most critical parts of firefighter personal protective equipment. This equipment provides respiratory protection, allowing firefighters to enter a hazardous atmosphere without their respiratory systems being exposed to carcinogens and other hazardous chemicals during a fire or hazardous material incident. By providing safe breathing air, it also allows firefighters to enter areas where there maybe an oxygen deficiency,” said Bristol Borough Fire Chief Herb Slack.

Credit: Submitted

The SCBAs being replaced are 15 years old. One of the critical parts of the SCBA are the air cylinders which store the breathing air. These cylinders have a service life of 15 years, after which they must be replaced. Most of the cylinders being replaced by the grant have reached the end of their service life or will in the very near future, Slack

said.

Third District Fire Chief Howard McGoldrick said the grant will allow firefighters, with new SCBA’s

to work in toxic and hazardous atmospheres as they provide fire protection to communities they serve. The chief said he wanted

The number of SCBA is limited by FEMA to one per seat on a piece of fire apparatus. The list price for one SCBA with a mask and a spare cylinder is approximately $7800. In addition, the grant will allow each firefighter to be issued their own face mask, so firefighters will not have to share facemask. Cost of one face mask is $800. On average one piece of fire apparatus has at least six SCBA, a total of $46,800 per apparatus, Slack explained. .

The total amount of the grant from the Federal government is $638,545 (90%). The share of the five fire companies (10%) is $63,854. Exact share cost for each fire company is based on the specific number of SCBA and masks ordered. The overall projected cost of the grant project is $702,400, officials said.

Mcgoldrick thanked Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick for his help in securing the federal grant.

Up Next

Two New Bristol Twp. Police Officers Sworn In

Don't Miss

Rep Davis Shred Event Today, Slots Still Open

Jeff Bohen

Click to comment

Cops, Courts & Fire -Bensalem Township

Cops: Motorist Driving “Erratically” on Street Rd Arrested for Fleeing, DUI

Published

3 days ago

March 3, 2026

Jeff Bohen

A Langhorne woman spent a day in jail after she fled Bensalem Police who observed her driving erratically on Street Road last month locating the vehicle and its owner, ironically on the same block of funeral home.

According to the probable cause filing, on Saturday, Feb. 28, at approximately 10:23 p.m. Police were on routine patrol in the area of 3000 Street Road when officers observed a sliver Ford Explorer bearing a Pennsylvania registration MHS-**** driving erratically. Police attempted to initiate a traffic stop by activating lights and sirens.

The motorist, police said, fled west on Street Road at a high rate of speed.

Police in court papers said, the driver passed multiple vehicles on the right side and then ran through multiple steady red lights. Police lost track of the Explorer in the area of Street Road and Public Safety Way.

At approximately 11:35 p.m. police found the vehicle in the rear of 4737 East Street Road in Bensalem Twp.

Police initiated a second traffic stop by activating lights and sirens with back-up officers surrounding the Explorer so the motorist could not speed away again.

Police made contact with the driver and sole occupant, who was identified as 50 year-old Paige Holwood.

Holwood had bloodshot, glassy eyes, and the odor of an alcoholic beverage emanating from her person which increased as she spoke. She was unsteady on her feet when she got out of the vehicle, according to coure papers.

Police came to the conclusion that she could not operate a motor vehicle safely, said the probable cause.

Holwood was transported back to Police Headquarters where she was read the implied consent form in its entirety and refused to submit to a blood test, the arresting officer said.

On-Call District Judge John T. Galloway arraigned Holwood in the early morning hours of Sunday on a felony charge of fleeing police, DUI and four related traffic offenses.

Galloway set bail at 10 percent of $25,000 and Holwood, unable to post bail, was remanded to County Jail. She paid the 10 percent on Monday and released. Holwood’s preliminary hearing is scheduled for March 26. Currently, she has no attorney of record, according to online court records.

Cops, Courts & Fire -Bensalem Township

Bensalem House Fire Kills One Woman, One Man Injured

Published

3 days ago

March 3, 2026

Jeff Bohen

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

Published

2 weeks ago

February 21, 2026

Joanne Ames

Credit:: Veinna Carcel

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.