After several years in the concept stage, and 18 months of development and preparation, a Salisbury Township fire inspection program launched this week.

The program is supported by both Eastern Salisbury and Western Salisbury fire departments, by Salisbury Township Police Sgt. Donald Sabo, who is also the township fire marshal, the township code enforcement departments, Township Manager Randy Soriano and the township's elected supervisors.

The Lehigh County District Attorney's office was also involved in the program's development.

"The township has needed this program for a long time," Salisbury Police Chief Allen Stiles said. "It puts police, fire, code enforcement and municipality administrators all on the same page. It provides a formal way to facilitate communication between all the departments and improved communication is worth its weight in gold."

Stiles said the inspection program "would help provide an improved fire safety environment for our residents, those visiting in our municipality and the health and welfare of our township's first responders."

The program involves an inspection program to assure all commercial, industrial, institutional and multi-family residential buildings meet fire and code ordinances affecting the health and safety of those in the buildings.

The inspection program does not pertain to single-family dwellings.

Sabo said a lot of groundwork was involved in getting the program as effective as it could be.

The concept was introduced in March, 2013 at a public safety meeting.

Research supported by both fire departments, the fire marshal and Salisbury code enforcement officials, began after a go-ahead from township supervisors and the township manager.

The research involved looking at what other municipalities had done, what state and local codes were applicable and development of standards for a Salisbury ordinance authorizing the program.

A draft ordinance went to the board of supervisors in September 2013 and a final draft was approved by the supervisors in December 2013 after fire, police and code officials provided their input.

The ordinance was approved by supervisors in January and an effort began to develop job descriptions for fire inspectors and to find and hire four people to fill the inspector positions.

The four people hired all have extensive fire service backgrounds.

Lead inspector Dustin Grow is a professional Allentown firefighter, was a fire inspector in the U.S. military, has extensive experience in hazardous materials management and has experience in helping other municipalities start their programs.

Dev Kannan is a professional firefighter with the Reading Fire Department, assistant chief of the Western Salisbury Fire Department and the department's chief engineer and has been in the fire service since joining WSFD as a junior firefighter in the 1990s.

Dave Tomcics is Eastern Salisbury fire chief, and has served as an ESFD officer in both firefighting and the fire department organization where he most recently served as president until assuming the chief's duties at the beginning of this year.

Tomcics was "born and raised" in Salisbury Township. He joined the ESFD as a junior firefighter when he turned 16 years of age.

Kyle Mertl has nearly 20 years experience in the fire service and currently serves as assistant fire chief for the ESFD. He is also a 911 dispatcher for the City of Allentown.

Each of the inspectors was hired on an hourly basis and can work up to 24 hours a week on a part-time basis.

Sabo said the requirements for the fire inspectors included fire, first aid and other first responder experience. The inspectors will all be able to provide manpower assistance at serious fire events.

The inspectors will work with businesses and institutions to educate them on the ordinance and to provide inspections to see if they are in fire and code compliance. They will also work with the business owners and institutional managers to install lock boxes to allow fire officers access to properties for off-hour automatic fire alarm responses.

Sabo said start-up costs for the program have been "minimal," for uniforms, refitted township emergency radios and the re-outfitting of a township emergency vehicle. The inspectors have received their own fire "station" radio dispatch for Salisbury fire and emergency responses.

Sabo said the program is designed to be revenue-neutral from inspections fees. "Our fees, though, are designed to be less than other Lehigh Valley municipalities because we want to accommodate our township businesses, not make this an onerous cost for them."

Sabo said he will also be seeking grants and other revenue sources to support the program.

Sabo said he is "excited" about the new program.

"It has exceeded my expectations to this point, and I think everyone involved has worked hard to assure this is the best program we could make it."