Bensalem Puts A Volunteer Fire Company On Suspension Again
By Brad Segall
BENSALEM, Pa. (CBS) -- For the second time in just over a year, Bensalem Township has suspended the operations of one of its six volunteer fire companies, citing numerous issues and incidents over the past 2½ years.
Bensalem officials say the suspension of the Union Fire Company will not affect public safety, adding that other authorized fire companies have already been reassigned to provide coverage.
Bensalem public safety director Fred Harran says the situation with the leadership of the fire company hasn't gotten any better since it was suspended last June (see previous story), and he says they haven't followed the recommendations of an oversight board that was installed last year.
"Their unwillingness to work with the township... there's no relationship there and they just beat to a different drum and we can't have that," says Harran. "That becomes very dangerous when you're in a life-and-death situation."
Harran says they're looking at a thirty-day suspension this time, but if they can meet the goals the township has set up for them, the doors could reopen sooner.
In the meantime, the fire company's pagers are off and the calls are going to other companies.
