Three members of a Shaler volunteer fire department are suspended following allegations they were part of a crew that responded to a call under the influence of alcohol earlier this month.

A total of five members of the Undercliff Volunteer Fire Company were involved in the Aug. 2 incident. Of the other two, one resigned while the other was reinstated, according to a statement from the fire company.

The members were not identified. For the three suspended, details concerning the lengths of the suspensions and how or when they could be reinstated were not provided.

An unattributed statement from the fire company released shortly after midnight Wednesday said, “There will be no further comment regarding this personnel matter.”

“Our commitment to providing exceptional fire and rescue services to our community remains steadfast, and the men and women of this department will continue to serve our community with dedication, honor and pride,” the statement said.

The company’s membership convened a meeting at 7 p.m. Tuesday. It was held following the suspension of all five members on Aug. 8, according to Undercliff President John Klocko Sr.

They were alleged to have responded while impaired Aug. 2 to a report of an odor of smoke inside a home on East Genessee Avenue. The call was ultimately a false alarm, with no injuries or damages reported.

A resident filed an anonymous complaint with the township.

Undercliff is one of six volunteer fire departments in Shaler. While it operates independently from Shaler, the township pays its vehicle, portable equipment and workers compensation insurance, and gives each department $18,500 annually, township Manager Judith Kording said.

Shaler commissioners will decide at their Sept. 9 meeting whether the disciplinary action taken by Undercliff is acceptable to the township, Kording said.

“The township is grateful to the board of directors of the Undercliff Volunteer Fire Company for addressing this matter quickly and dealing with an unfortunate situation,” Kording said. “We are thankful that our community is served by six volunteer fire companies and their membership who commit countless hours of time protecting our residents and property.”

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