Bensalem Fire Company Back In Business

By Brad Segall

BENSALEM TWP., Pa. (CBS) - A Bensalem fire company is back in business sporting new leadership after it was suspended two months ago, the second time in just over a year that it was shut down by township officials.

The Union Fire Company on State Road has been reinstated with a new fire chief, new president and a new slate of administrative and operational officers.

Township officials say the company was suspended twice over concerns that declining membership and a lack of leadership made it difficult to get the trucks on the street when a call came in.

Public Safety Director Fred Harran is confident this time it will work.

"They've been closed now for two months, they've revamped their organization, they've got a pretty in-depth remediation plan they're working on and I think it should work out for them if they stay on course," explains Harran.

Union will also return to the feds a $1 million rescue boat they acquired from FEMA through a port security grant.

In his 25 years Harran says the township has never needed a craft like that and he points to that as a decision that drained the fire company's resources.