Hellertown Borough Council voted Monday to authorize advertising a proposed ordinance that would name Lower Saucon Fire Rescue as the borough's official fire-service provider, a step that could end Dewey Fire Company's more than century-long run covering the community. No final agreement has been approved, and officials say talks over contract terms are still underway.
Lynley Solt, who chairs the council's public safety/finance and capital committee, said advertising the proposal is part of ongoing negotiations with Lower Saucon Fire Rescue and that a contract is expected to come before council within the next month, according to WFMZ.com. The council plans to take up the agreement itself at its December meeting, the station reported. No members of the public spoke on the proposal at Monday's meeting, per the same report.
Lower Saucon Fire Rescue already provides mutual aid and support to Hellertown and the Saucon Valley corridor along Route 78, according to Saucon Source. Officials are considering Lower Saucon Fire Rescue as they look to shore up long-term coverage.
Council's Vote Described as an Early Step, Not a Final Decision
An August council vote authorized preparation of draft documents, according to Lehigh Valley Public Media. At its November 2 meeting, council authorized advertising a proposed ordinance naming Lower Saucon Fire Rescue as the borough's fire-service provider, according to WFMZ.com, which characterized the vote as an initial step rather than a finalized change. Solt has said Hellertown intends to work collaboratively with both Dewey and Lower Saucon Fire Rescue and to honor Dewey's more than 100 years of service, per WFMZ's reporting.
Even if the fire-service provider changes, Dewey would continue providing emergency medical services to the borough, the public radio outlet reported. Concerns raised about Dewey have centered on declining volunteer participation and difficulty maintaining continuity in leadership roles, Saucon Source reported in August.
A Century-Old Legacy Now in Question
Dewey Fire Company's own website states it has provided fire and rescue service to Hellertown since 1897, while Saucon Source's August report put the company's service to the community at since 1898. Either figure puts Dewey's tenure well past a century, underscoring what's at stake as the borough weighs a change.
Part of a Broader Volunteer Staffing Squeeze
Hellertown's deliberations echo a staffing strain playing out across Pennsylvania. The Office of the State Fire Commissioner says the state's volunteer firefighter ranks have stabilized in recent years at roughly 32,000 to 35,000, according to WITF, though that stabilization follows a steep, decades-long decline described differently by different outlets — Lehigh Valley Public Media reported a roughly 92% drop over 50 years, from 360,000 to 30,000 volunteers, while The Philadelphia Inquirer put the force at roughly 300,000 in the 1970s falling to 38,000 by 2018. The Inquirer also reported that in 2023, at least 70% of Pennsylvania's registered fire departments were all or mostly volunteer.
Nationally, the U.S. has lost about a quarter of its volunteer firefighters since 2008 even as call volume rose by about 70%, WITF reported. Some municipalities have responded by hiring paid crews: Lower Paxton Township's Colonial Park, Paxtonia and Linglestown fire companies began bringing on paid firefighters in September 2025, growing to 20 career staff working alongside volunteers, after WITF reported the three companies would have been adequately staffed only 17% of the time in the first half of 2026 without that move, with all three stations out of service simultaneously for 92 hours.
A Nearby Precedent in West Easton
Hellertown isn't alone in rethinking who answers the call. West Easton Volunteer Fire Co. ended its fire service after nearly 115 years because it no longer had the manpower to serve its 1,300 residents, according to WFMZ. Easton City Council subsequently approved a resolution for the city to provide fire protection there, with West Easton maintaining its fire station and covering facility expenses while Easton firefighters use the station and equipment as needed, under an arrangement that includes annual compensation to Easton and additional payments if call volume exceeds an agreed threshold, per the same report.
Whether Hellertown's eventual agreement with Lower Saucon Fire Rescue follows a similar structure remains to be seen. For now, the terms, cost and duration of any deal are still being worked out, with council set to revisit the matter in December.
