Hempfield's troubled High Park, West Point fire departments may join forces

High Park Volunteer Fire Department, which has been closed for the past year, is proposing a merger with West Point Volunteer Fire Department.

Attorney Kim Houser said members of both departments have been examining the potential to join forces and could file a petition in the coming weeks in Westmoreland County Orphan’s Court seeking to finalize the plan. The merger could be complete in the next month or two.

“I think it’s on a great track to really have a positive impact for the center part of Hempfield Township,” he said.

Operations at High Park Volunteer Fire Department were suspended in February 2024. The station, after spending nearly two years on probation for failing to respond to emergency calls, informed the township a year ago it intended to discontinue service.

At the time, it was given three options by township officials: merge with a neighboring fire station, go under township management or dissolve. The station responded to one of 53 emergency calls in the last three months of 2023, according to the township.

Since operations at High Park were suspended, three other Hempfield fire companies — Adamsburg, Grapeville and Fort Allen — have split the coverage area, Hempfield fire Chief Anthony Kovacic said.

“Our stations have stepped up and taken that responsibility and really started to ensure that they learn the different areas and things like the water supply,” he said. “I hand it to the companies. They’ve taken the initiative to learn that.”

Township manager Aaron Siko said he’s been notified by Houser of the stations’ intent to merge. West Point and High Park are on opposite sides of the township.

“I don’t know the background and what the idea was in the two organizations merging,” Siko said.

Fire officials at both stations did not return messages Thursday. It’s unclear what equipment High Park may still have. Anything owned by the township has been returned, Siko said. He hopes any remaining equipment can be used to protect Hempfield residents and the merger helps boost response to emergency calls.

Houser said a merger of two nonprofits is a slow process. He’s notified the state Attorney General’s Office, which oversees such mergers to ensure the public’s interest in the nonprofit’s charitable assets are protected, a spokesperson said.

Those assets will remain within the township to benefit the residents, if the merger is approved, Houser said.

West Point has had its own troubles in recent years.

The station was put on probation in June 2021 due to resignations and transfers of members and a failure to respond to 81 calls in the first half of the year. Between July and November 2021, the department responded to 11 of 137 calls.

Improvement started in 2022 and the probation was lifted in 2023 as new members joined.

Hempfield supervisors last month authorized the release of West Point fire department’s third and fourth quarter allocations for 2024. It had been withheld after township officials learned last year the deed to the fire station was transferred to West Point Community Parks and Recreation Center Inc.

Siko said that raised some concern, and the department was asked for clarification and a copy of a lease for the building.

“Certainly, it was a surprise to us,” he said.

West Point’s stipend, $3,754.25 per quarter, was released after the township was provided the lease, he said.

The land for West Point’s fire station was sold for $1 in 1961 by Hempfield Co., according to a deed. That deed contains language that required the property be used for firefighting or some other community purpose.

Two deeds related to the property were dated June 28. One was from West Point fire department to Deerfield Management Co., a successor to Hempfield Co., for $1. That document included language that indicated the 1961 deed contained a “reverter clause” and “certain actions triggered the reversion ” to the previous owner.

The second June 28 deed transferred the property from Deerfield to West Point Community Parks and Recreation Center Inc. That nonprofit organization was created in April, according to state records.

Hempfield officials have in recent years renewed their push to invite more stations to become nonchartered, meaning they would be financially supported and managed by the township. North Hempfield is the only one to complete the process so far.

Kovacic said all but two of the township’s stations have expressed some level of interest in becoming nonchartered. Those that have not are West Point and Bovard.