Since 1976, only 35 East Allen Township residents have served on the East Allen Township Fire Department. It’s a longstanding problem Deputy Chief Ray Henry and his team are trying to overcome as volunteer fire departments face desperate volunteer shortages across Pennsylvania.
There are only 38,000 volunteer firefighters in Pennsylvania, and 23 of those volunteers currently serve on the East Allen Township Fire Department. These men and women respond to an average of 350-plus calls per year, volunteering 16 hours per day, or over 5,000 hours per year. Most of these volunteers are not residents of the township.
Burnout, said Henry, is common. Calls are increasing, especially during the workday when many volunteers are at their full-time jobs.
“At the end of the day, our goal is to make sure someone shows up at your front door [when there is a call],” he said. But to keep this promise, the department needs members.
“I’m at a loss,” he told attendees at two town halls held on Feb. 26.
“We don’t have members,” he added. “We are hurting like other departments, but we are not afraid to admit it.”
There are only three paid fire departments in Northampton County: Bethlehem, Easton and Wilson Borough. Other fire departments, such as East Allen Township, Northampton, Bath and Moore Township, are run entirely by volunteers. These departments provide mutual aid regularly.
The fact that the East Allen Township Fire Department is staffed entirely by volunteers is something many residents may not know. The response rate on the most recent direct mail fundraiser was only 36%.
Last year, the department’s income was $147,000, of which $65,000 came from the township. Expenses also totaled $147,000, allocated mostly to utilities, equipment purchase and repair, and building maintenance. Equipment is about $5,000 per firefighter.
Grants to cover these costs, explained Henry, are competitive, especially if the department does not have a significant roster of volunteers, which may disqualify them.
The department currently has six apparatuses, including two tankers, a rescue truck, an engine, a tower truck with a ladder and a utility truck. The department expects to replace its 1998 engine and 1986 tanker with a new Pierce Pumper in 2026. However, they need members to run this equipment.
“We’re not asking for toys. We’re asking for help,” Henry told town hall attendees. “At the end of the day, we need bodies.”
Henry thanked the East Allen Township Board of Supervisors for their support over the years. Supervisors approved an incentive program that gives volunteers $10 per call. An oversight board ensures these funds are allocated appropriately. Henry hopes this payment can help “lighten the load” at home by paying for activities, groceries or supplies.
Henry has other ideas he hopes to implement to improve recruitment and increase the number of volunteers per call. The department is working on a Citizen Fire Academy. They’re also working on a Public Works program with the township that would give preference for public works job openings to volunteers. The department is even looking at a live-in program to ensure full-time station staffing.
Despite the struggles the department is currently facing, they’re also making sure to honor the volunteers they have. They held a banquet this year for volunteers and are looking at college scholarship opportunities.
“It is a team,” said Henry. “It is pride. We are down and out right now, but we are still here [and] proud of it.”
More town halls are planned for the future to help foster ideas and community engagement.
To volunteer for the East Allen Township Fire Department, an online application is available at www.eastallenfire.org/. Residents can also stop by the municipal building or are welcome to visit the station at 5354 Nor Bath Blvd. on Monday evenings.
