TOBYHANNA — Tobyhanna Township announced Wednesday that as of 8:00 a.m., the township was deactivating the Pocono Summit Fire Company and putting into effect a dual dispatch system.
The township cited missing financial reports and a growing concern for operational capacity as the reasons behind the switch.
"We respect and honor the brave sacrifice of volunteers unquestionably. That is not in question, but we are also responsible for the protection of life and property in this community," said John Jablowski Jr., Tobyhanna Township manager, during a press conference on Thursday.
During the press conference, Jablowski highlighted uneasiness felt in regards to the Pocono Summit Fire Company, a volunteer company founded in 1961, and what he described as missing or inadequate reports.
According to Jablowski, the company has yet to submit proper financial statements dating back to 2015 from the company that has received more than $1 million in funds from the township since 1985.
"Tax payers should demand accountability for the use of public funds, whether they be tax payer dollars or donations. We have yet to receive 2015 financial statements, we are concerned about the operational capacity," Jablowski said.
Jablowski insisted the move was not a cost-cutting measure and added that the township plans to increase the $400k budgeted for fire companies in the future. Some of the potential increase would go to some paid fire fighting personnel.
A dual dispatch system means the Tobyhanna Township Fire Company will be dispatched with the Pocono Mountain Fire Company, Tunkhannock Township Fire Company, Pocono Township Fire Company or the Coolbaugh Township Fire Company, depending on the location of the incident.
The closest of these to the Pocono Summit Fire Company's location is the Pocono Mountain Fire Company, which is four miles away. Jablowski said that the Pocono Summit Fire Company was switched from primary to secondary when dispatching about four months ago, to begin instituting the change, response times have since decreased.
"Response times have been continuing to decline," Jablowski said. "And it's not just your response times. It's who you respond with and their training capacity."
According to Lynn Kelly, Coolbaugh Township supervisor, Coolbaugh also announced on Wednesday evening they would no longer be utilizing the company's service, effectively closing the company's doors. Kelly said in the past the township had a dual dispatch with their own company and the Pocono Summit Fire Company but will now be dual dispatching to Pocono Mountain Fire Company instead.
Tobyhanna Township also cited the revelation by company chief that members were being actively interviewed by the Monroe County District Attorney's office as another reason for the deactivation.
"Because Tobyhanna Township did what they did, we had to react that way and i would expect to see more municipalities take that same route," said Bill Weimer, Coolbaugh Township supervisor chair and fire company chief. "We feel bad about the situation but we're here to provide service for the residents of Coolbaugh Township and that is our ultimate responsibility."
Pocono Summit Fire Company chief declined to comment due to not having met with his board members yet.
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