Hempfield to recruit 3 assistant fire chiefs

Hempfield leaders are looking to recruit three new assistant chiefs for the townhip’s volunteer fire service.

According to Chief Tony Kovacic, the assistant chiefs will be in charge of setting up command areas at fire and emergency scenes.

“It’s a volunteer position but, when instances arise, they would be somebody that would mobilize to the scene and establish command,” Kovacic said.

There will be one assistant chief for each of the township’s three fire zones. Those include: North Hempfield, Bovard and Hannastown in zone one; Hempfield No. 2, West Point, Midway and Carbon in zone two; and Fort Allen, Grapeville, High Park and Adamsburg in zone three.

The creation of the assistant chief positions come as township leaders have been working to improve the fire service.

Supervisors created a Bureau of Fire and a public safety committee. Recently, officials focused on improving their rating with New Jersey-based Insurance Services Offices Inc., or ISO, which impacts homeowner insurance rates.

As part of those efforts, officials established one department to oversee 11 stations that had operated independently. Under that department, headed by a paid fire chief and deputy fire chief, stations are required to sign service agreements and follow certain protocols. In addition to changing the command structure, the three fire zones were established.

The township is working to have stations become chartered members, meaning the township would acquire property and other assets. So far, North Hempfield and Hempfield No. 2 have become chartered members. The remaining nine stations operate as non-chartered members, with their own set of bylaws in addition to service agreements.

Of changes to the fire service, Kovacic said, “We’re on the verge of making that all happen.”

Supervisors this week unanimously approved job descriptions for the assistant chief posts and authorized the chief to inform members that applications are being accepted.