$7K For Fire And Emergency Service Study In Tredyfrin And Easttown

TREDYFFRIN, PA — Tredyffrin Township supervisors this week approved spending $7,000 for the first phase of an emergency services study to develop and plan for longterm fire and emergency services in Tredyffrin and Easttown townships.

Robert Andrews, of Protection Development, Inc., San Antonio, will conduct a study and make recommendations of what is necessary.

Andrews background includes 30 years serving the East Whiteland Fire Company.

Township officials said that the changing landscape and how these services are provided and funded is a challenge.

The goal is to prepare for the future to ensure the safety of the estimated 40,000 residents in the 29.9-square miles of the two municipalities, according the township officials.

The primary fire companies covering the area include Berwyn and Paoli. Radnor also provides services in an area of Tredyffrin known as the panhandle.

Thomas Torresson, president of the Berwyn Fire Company Board of Directors, said Thursday hiring the consultant is a step in the right direction assuming the recommendations of the consultant are followed. He is hopeful that the three phases will be completed within three months.

Torresson said the immediate goal is to have more full time paid firefighters as volunteers are dwindling.

To date, he said, there are four paid firefighters for Berwyn company on duty 24/7. He would like to see two additional firefighters on staff.

Tredyffrin will pay $4,900 for the consultant and Eastttown will pay $2,100, according to the spending plan.

History of collaboration

In October, 2021 Tredyffrin and Easttown joined together in October 2021 to address the joint infrastructure needs of the both municipalities.

The township collaborated on an $8 million capital improvement project to update the 93-year-old Berwyn Station on Bridge Avenue.

Tredyffrin also purchased an $1.8 million property at 1485 Valley Forge Road to be used as a substation to serve Chesterbrook, Glenhardie and Swedesford Road Corridor.

The Berwyn Fire Company has 70 volunteers, 10 full-time employees, and 28 part-time employees respond to more than 2,150 ambulance calls and 900 fire calls annually.

In addition to emergency calls, its emergency first responders spend approximately 1,000 hours per year training to prepare for scenarios when every second counts.