Kidder asks to improve fire call response

The Kidder Township Emergency Services Commission asked the township supervisors last week to approve its recommendation that the township’s two fire companies be called out jointly in the future.

Currently Lake Harmony Volunteer Fire Company and Albrightsville Fire Company split the township into two sections, with each being primarily responsible for its section.

As it stands, when one company is called out on a fire, that company responds with whatever manpower is available. Once the situation is assessed, the lead firefighter will determine if additional manpower or equipment is needed.

“If both companies are called out at the same time, that gives us as much as a 10-minute head start,” said Albrightsville Safety Officer Rich Smallenburg. “If we are en route and get called off, so be it, but that 10 minutes could mean life or death in some instances.”

Lake Harmony Fire Chief Ralph Lennon sees things differently. Lennon noted that in his opinion 90 percent of the calls are cooking related or automatic fire alarms, and he sees the dual response as overkill.

“Let’s just use the Mountain Laurel as an example,” Lennon said. “It’s usually just cooking. Someone can’t read, doesn’t use the exhaust fan and it gets smoky.”

According to Lennon, he usually gets two to four firefighters to respond typically to such a call. But more importantly Lennon says that three such calls will use up a full tank of gas in the ladder truck.

“Calling out the engine from Albrightsville as well as the ladder from Lake Harmony is a waste of money,” Lennon said.

In the end the group agreed that would be exactly what would be recommended to the supervisors.

In the future they would like to see the ladder truck from Lake Harmony and the engine from Albrightsville respond to all fire calls.