The Newportville Fire Company, in existence for 99 years could very well be taking its last call this week with Bristol Township Council considering eliminating their services from the community in a vote at Thursday night’s meeting.
Township officials have cited financial issues, accountability concerns, mismanagement, and the arrest of a former chief accused of misusing fire company funds as among the reasons for potentially removing the volunteer fire company from its dispatch rotation.
At the July Council meeting fire company members and supporters showed up in force for a confrontation and resuscitation of the issues from each side’s perspective.
Fire company leadership admitted to past issues but stressed major operational and response time improvements have been made
Credit: Lower Bucks Hospital
Deputy Fire Chief Ryan Cummings said since 2025 the fire company has strengthened financial controls and rebuilt the non-profit organization. He said the fire company has dramatically improved their emergency response time.
In 2025, Cummings said, the company responded to approximately 600 emergency calls, recording around 60 non-responses. Throughout the first six months, non-responses dropped to just five in-district calls out of approximately 350 runs, Cummings said.
Township Solicitor Scott Holbert read into the record a statement from the Township that said the ongoing issues with NFC go back to a 2019 fire study conducted by the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development.
The study cites the same issues the Township has had in recent weeks, for example, finances, and response times as severe issues leading to the recommendation that NFC at the time merge with nearby Third District Fire Company.
Holbert said NFC had initially shown interest in merger talks however they declined to pursue those conversations in 2023.
NFC Battalion Chief Dawn Cummings contradicted the Township timeline.
Dawn Cummings said there were discussions that would secure NFC’s continued independent operations through Dec. 31, 2027, coinciding with its 100th anniversary. She added that correspondence with Township Manager Randee Mazur showing merger discussions faltering was the municipality’s fault and Third District, due to cancelled meetings.
NFC officials then requested to meet with the township before the August 20 vote.
a timeline dating back to 2019.
Among the highlighted points the Township raised are:
Two fire companies have officially voted against merging/consolidating with NFC when asked. The remaining 4 volunteer fire companies do not want to work with NFC.
There is no issue with the Township’s finances or funding. The same funding as Township Tax Allocation and state aid will not be reduced if mergers, consolidations or redistricting of service areas occur. The funding will now be split four ways instead of five, giving each company a larger portion of the total.
Additionally NFC owns two properties. Station 12, located at 2425 New Falls Rd. in Levittown and Station 82, located at 3025 Bath Road. Station 12 has not been used for fire protection services since 2019, with no engines running from the station or calls being dispatched. Newportville Fire Company handles all service calls out of Station 82.
Credit: Submitted
The township says it has no interest in the property or the equipment and by law, it must be distributed to another 501 C 3 nonprofit.
NFC held a town hall style meeting last Wednesday night at their New Falls Rd. site. Fire company officials invited anyone from the community to attend and ask questions. Fire officials said their message was not intended to attack or blame the township.
The roughly 90 minute meeting which didn’t appear to be well attended showed less than 100 people in the meeting room. The meeting covered many, if not all, of the same issues the fire company had raised previously.
NFC officials questioned whether the four fire companies — Croydon, Edgely, Levittown No. 2, and Third District — would be able to provide adequate fire protection services if NFC was forced to close.
In 2025, according to NFC data, the company responded to approximately 600 emergency calls but recorded just under 60 non-responses. For the first part of 2026, according to NFC officials non-responses dropped to just five in-district calls out of approximately 350 dispatches. The reduction in non responses, which is significant, when looked at another way, provides a data point showing at the very least there was minimal impact to fire services when NFC was unavailable, it appears.
And then there are the issues with former NFC Fire Chief Fred Black. Black had all of his charges held over for trial at preliminary hearing before District Judge John Galloway earlier today. He is due back in court on September 16, for a formal arraignment. He is charged with the misuse of more than $32,000.00 in fire company funds over a four-year period.
Credit:
Newportville Fire Company
The township said it remains committed to transparency, accountability, and providing the highest level of fire protection for its residents.
Bristol Township Council President Craig Bowen said tomorrow’s vote will be the toughest decision he has had to make since taking office more than a decade ago.
It’s an emotionally charged vote. No one wants to vote against volunteer firefighters. I live in Newportville. There hasn’t been a day that’s gone by where neighbors haven’t approached me to voice their opinions.
“It’s a tough vote either way.”
Bristol Township Council will meet Thursday night at 2501 Bath Road, beginning at 7 p.m. Click here for tomorrow night’s meeting agenda.
Editor’s Note: Third District Fire Company officials declined to comment for this story.
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