Fire Chief Calls 2011 'A Very Unusual Year'

A pair of severe storms that seriously affected the Saucon Valley helped make 2011 "a very unsusual year" for , told Hellertown Borough Council April 16.

The first storm in what proved to be a meteorological double whammy struck in .

As a result of flooded basements and roadways, Dewey saw "a huge increase in calls," Delmore said.

The deluge also prompted the company to upgrade its equipment by purchasing a new pump, which will help empty basements of flood water more quickly in the future.

The second unusual storm struck the Hellertown area exactly two months after Irene did, on Oct. 29, 2011.

And instead of crippling flood waters, , which .

Delmore said that with the help of a state grant, Dewey was able to able two portable generators that will help with its response to any future outages.

In addition to the generators, he said the company used grant money to buy thermal imaging cameras.

This year Dewey hopes to purchase rain gear for its members, who will undertake basic water rescue training in July or August.

The company also recently sent three of its members to Appleton, Wisc. for a pre-manufacturing meeting with representatives from .

Delmore said construction on the truck will begin in September, in time for a November delivery.

Lastly, he reminded everyone at the meeting that are always needed.

"We're always looking for people," he said, adding that daytime help is especially sought after.

According to the annual report, Dewey currently has 33 personnel on its "active" roster, including 22 interior firefighters, half of whom are also .

Delmore told council that pending completion of required training, "by the first week of May we'll have four more interior firefighters."

In 2011 the department responded to a total of 356 calls, the report indicated.

By comparison, it responded to 284 calls in 2010.