There are two takeaways from the preview of the Salsibury Township Emergency Services Study: there is no recommended merger of Eastern Salisbury Volunteer Fire Company and Western Salisbury Volunteer Fire Company and a restructuring of township public safety operations is recommended, with the appointment of a public safety director, to whom a police captain and a fire captain and the emergency services provider would report.

Duane Hagelgans, of Duane Hagelgans Consulting, Lancaster, briefed township commissioners, administrators and a packed township municipal building meeting room filled with township volunteer firemen at the Feb. 28 meeting workshop.

“We made recommendations, but ultimately, you can do all or none,” Hagelgans said.

Hagelgans spoke generally about the report and its implications, but didn’t go into many specifics.

That’s because the report hasn’t been officially voted on to be accepted by township commissioners.

Copies of the 142-page report were recently provided to commissioners.

Salisbury Township Manager Cathy Bonaskiewich told the estimated 50 persons at the workshop that copies of the study were to be emailed after the Feb. 28 meeting to the fire chiefs of the township fire companies.

“Just because they’re [township commissioners] accepting the report doesn’t mean they’re going to enact it,” Bonaskiewich said during the workshop.

“The report will be voted on by commissioners soon, possibly as soon as the next meeting,” Bonaskiewich told a reporter for Salisbury Press following the workshop.

Township commissioners are next scheduled to meet 7 p.m. March 14 in the municipal building, 2900 S. Pike Ave.

The report will be made available to the public and media if and when it’s accepted by commissioners.

The approximate one-hour and 15-minute presentation of the report and discussion was sparked by a lively discussion between firemen, commissioners, township officials, residents and Hagelgans.

Township officials emphasized several times during the workshop that a vote to accept the report does not require the commissioners to implement any of the report’s recommendations.

Details of the report were not disclosed at the meeting. As of the deadline for this article, details of the report were not available to the media.

Township official spoke glowingly of the report.

“I read this thing from front to back,” board of commissioners President Robert Martucci Jr., said brandishing the thick-report at the start of the workshop, “and it’s an excellent job,”

“I want to credit you, the board, for doing this. It was a very extensive process,” Hagelgans began in his presentation.

Noting that he spoke with the fire chiefs, police chief, emergency services and other officials, Hagelgans said, “We have overwheming support [in gathering information for the report].

“We reviewed all aspects of emergency services,” Hagelgans continued.

“This is about people who are out risking their lives,” Hagelgans emphasized.

Hagelgans said the report contains “59 suggestions.” He didn’t delineate the suggestions during his presentation.

“It was a challenge for us,” Hagelgans said of compiling the report.

Regarding public safety and individual agencies, as he described them, Hagelgans said, “It didn’t seem to be collaborative. It seemed a little disjointed.

“Everyone was here for the right reasons, but they were going at it a little off,” Hagelgans said.

Hagelgans also credited the township police department for pursuing accreditation. He said the emergency services manager is a “little out there” in terms of the official’s placement in the public safety operational structure. He noted emergency medical services are provided by a private agency. “They wanted to be integrated into the system,” he said.

The township contracts with St. Luke’s Emergency & Transport Service for its ambulance response.

Hagelgans observed that challenges for volunteer fire companies are similar across Pennsylvania, with 300,000-plus volunteer firemen in active duty statewide during the 1970s and about 30,000 statewide today.

“If we need to replace volunteers, that’s a major cost,” Hagelgans said.

“I’m not sure if you realize that Salisbury Township is two halves,” Hagelgans quipped.

The township has noncontiguous boundaries between its western half and eastern half.

“There’s no need to consolidate [the two fire departments],” Hagelgans said, “but there’s a need for a Salisbury Township system.

“We don’t see a need, a benefit, to merge,” Hagelgans added.

“You have these fire inspectors, but you have two fire departments doing it two separate ways,” Hagelgans claimed, adding there’s a need for standard operating guidelines.

“In 2013, it appears you had a vision [for a fire inspection program] and then for some reason it veered off,’ Hagelgans said, adding, “It could be a perception.

“I understand why you have fire inspectors working for the police department,” Hagelgans said, explaining that since the fire companies are volunteer, and the fire inspectors are paid positions, they need to be part of the township administrative structure.

“And the easy answer is that you have a contract,” Hagelgans said. “That was obviously one of the recommendations.”

Concerning facilities, Hagelgans said, “You own one building [Eastern Salisbury Fire Company]. You may own another [Western Salisbury Fire Company].

“My suggestion is that the township builds the new fire station. They own one. Why not own the other?” Hagelgans said.

“Nobody’s done anything other than what they think is best for the public,” Hagelgans said in his concluding remarks about the report.

“It’s just that it’s a little disjointed and, hopefully, through this report, it can be figured out,” Hagelgans said.

“We made our recommendations. There’s some things that will cost money.

“One of our suggestions is to look at a reorganization more for the public’s safety. Our overall recommendation is close to a total reorganztion,” Hagelgans said.

“A public-safety model is when you have a public safety director and under that, you’d have police and fire,” Hagelgans said.

“We’re working for the citizens of the community, to make sure that they get the best possible fire protection,” Hagelgans said.

Board of commissioners Vice President Debra Brinton, who also said she read the entire report, said, ”Some of these things I’ve observed. Some of the things I’ve heard. But it’s nice to have it all in this report.”

Said Martucci, “It was a difficult decision for us to do this because it was lot of money. We knew there were going to be some ruffled feathers. But it was important that we do this.

“This is not the commissioners against the fire department or police department. This is us trying to work together for the betterment of the township,” Marttucci said.

Said Commissioner Joanne Ackerman, “We want to bring the township together. I was very impressed [with the report]. It’s hopefulness. Don’t take it offensively. Take it as unity.”

Western Salisbury Fire Compnay officials are seeking $215,000 annually, or $1.5 million over seven years, from the township toward “Campaign 60,” a request made at an Aug. 24, 2017, township workshop by Western Salisbury Fire Chief Joshua G. Wells.

Western Salisbury, founded in 1959, has its 60th anniversary in 2019, hence “Campaign 60” to fund renovation and expansion of Western’s Swain Fire Station, 950 S. Ott St.

At the April 26, 2018, township meeting, John Kelly Jr., a trustee on the board of directors of Western Salisbury, asked commissioners to put the question of township support for “Campaign 60” on the general election ballot.

In 1989, township commissioners approved a ballot question on floating a bond to construct Eastern Salisbury Volunteer Fire Company station at East Emmaus Avenue and Honeysuckle Road. The referendum passed by a two-thirds majority.

Township commissioners voted unanimously 5-0 at the April 26, 2018, meeting to approve an emergency services review. Under an agreement, the township will pay $45,000 to Hagelgans’ firm for the review. At the May 10, 2018, meeting, Hagelgans updated commissioners on his progress. The deadline for completing the report was January.

Hagelgans is an associate professor at Millersville University of Pennsylvania, Lancaster, where he heads the Center for Disaster Research and Education. Hagelgans has been a fire commissioner for seven years for the Blue Rock Regional Fire District in the Borough of Millersville.