Warminster To Hire 5 Firefighters (ICYMI)

WARMINSTER, PA — Warminster Township will hire five firefighters with help from a federal grant. Officials say those hires will help with a shortage of volunteer firefighters in the area during some hours of the week.

The $1.7 million grant came from FEMA. It comes as a response to requests from Warminster's two volunteer fire companies and an independent study that identified a need for career firefighters.

"We're very pleased to receive this grant," said Ken Hayes, chairman of Warminster's board of supervisors. "For decades, the township has been well served by our volunteer firefighters and it's now time to help them continue the great work they are doing."

The grant will pay 100 percent of salaries and benefits for the new firefighters for three years. They will focus on weekday hours and use existing fire equipment owned by the Warminster Fire Department and Hartsville Fire Company.

Officials say weekdays are when the township's volunteer firefighter staff is most limited.

In a news release, township officials said the new firefighters likely will be hired in early 2021, when mutual fire service agreements between the township and the fire companies have been completed.