Heidelberg Township's municipal building is undergoing much needed improvements to welcome Northern Valley Emergency Medical Services Inc., also known as NOVA, to the community.

Supervisor David Fink reviewed a summary of completed renovations and those on a to-do list for the immediate future.

Ranking at the top is replacing at least one of the garage bay doors, where, as a condition of the new emergency services coverage for the township an ambulance will be stationed 24/7.

The door is currently operated by a chain hoist.

The board authorized replacement of the door as soon as possible and signing of a contract to complete replacement of the remaining five doors over the next year.

According to Fink, the cost for the six doors is $19,710.

A necessity for NOVA's emergency response time, the township is spending $3,285 to get the first door replaced immediately.

In addition to the garage doors, heating and plumbing improvements have been made to make the building more comfortable for the emergency technicians, including a room for the crew to eat and rest before and after calls.

According to an introduction letter sent to Heidelberg supervisors, NOVA "provides the highest level of care allowed by the Pennsylvania Department of Health exceeding our licensure required standards."

With a fleet of five ambulances, NOVA operates out of three locations; the newest being Heidelberg's municipal building.

NOVA Executive Director Joseph Solderich announced at the Feb. 19 meeting NOVA was recently honored by the EMS Heart Heroes Case Review and Recognition of the Lehigh Valley Health Network Top Performers in pre-hospital cardiac care.

A copy of the letter of recognition and more details about NOVA can be viewed at northernvalleyems.com.

In other matters, Roadmaster Kevin Huber said he has been busy fixing trucks and "playing in the snow."

Huber told supervisors the township had to borrow salt from Lowhill at the beginning of February and was unsure if the 75-ton supply would last the rest of the season.

Chairman Steve Bachman said he heard comments from several residents who wanted to thank the road crew for the great job keeping roads cleared.

On behalf of NOVA, Solderich also thanked Huber for making roads passable during the latest of winter's storms.

After being denied permission to reduce the speed limit on Northwest Road between Northwestern Lehigh High School and the Northwestern Recreation Community Park, Bachman said the recreation commission plans to keep pushing for a solution to make that section of road safer for students crossing for sporting events.

He said one of the ideas pitched at a recent recreation commission meeting was to install a school crossing light that would impose a 15-mph speed limit from dusk until dawn or which could be manually operated during sporting events.

The board also approved a resolution to have Northeastern Revenue Services LLC serve as the delinquent tax collector for the township.