I don't understand the problem here. If you are a township fire company required to follow township rules then follow them. Don't turn it into a "Who has the bigger ego" drama.
Follow the rules, fix the mistakes and get un-suspended. Didn't Bensalem get enough embarassment from Mike Marren? Seems those who are there to protect and serve only care for themselves, not the people of Bensalem.

I worked for the Union Fire Company about 5 years ago and loved it. I now work for a paid fire department in Ohio. I'll tell you what, their is nothing like a Volunteer fireman. I would put the hearts of the Volunteers up against the paid any day. Let me ask you this, if you didn't have the publics safety at heart, would you put up with all this from the safety directer like Chief Troisi does? I think not. Thats one example of the heart of a Volunteer I was talking about. Funny how all the fire Chiefs are on board with this, but none of them have an opinion or comment. I think someone got to them first. Hmmm. Who could it it be. I know this Chief and he's a good man. I would follow his orders any day and follow him into a fire anytime. Good luck guys. Don't give up on this fight. Buttas

If the other chiefs from the other depts dont' stand unified against Fred Harran with the way this is handled then they all deserve thier own depts demise at some point down the road. There is not one Volunteer fire dept in this county for sure who has never had problems within thier own dept with the way the elected officers handle thier dept. THAT is why we have the election process and impeachment process so it should be up to the members of the union fire co. to dictate the direction of that fire house and NO ONE elses.I am a life member from a falls twp fire dept and bought a house in another area and joined another dept. I wasn't happy with the way my new dept was being run and guess what all three chiefs were replaced on the next election,the way its suppose to work. There is a paid crew in bristol twp also during the day but I can tell you the individual in charge of the twp emergency management doesn't cross the bounds of what was working for the last 1 1/2 centuries with volunteers. All the chiefs in the twp don't agree with one another on all things all the time but in the volunteer service it just isn't going to happen. Bensalem should put the numbers out there for the residents to see what the cost will be to add even more paid crews because if Fred continues to dictate what the firehouses do that have been around a long time there will be a mass exodus of f/f. $5,000,000.00 per yr to staff 4 depts around the clock with 1 crew ,who gets the other trucks out?

The other chiefs aren't going to stand up to them because most of them are in the townships back pocket due to the fact that thier full time job is a paid firefighter/fire imspector in the twp. Which alone goes against the garcia act for one and second its called conflict of interest. As a bensalem resident i fully support the officers and members of union fire company to the fullest extent of my ability, and demand the resignation of all chiefs in the township who are employed by the township!!!

85% of the firefighters that volunteer at Union don't even live in the Bensalem Twp. They abuse the tax money they receive (they think its there own money) and buy useless equipment. They drive all around NE Philly and Bristol with there families in those Hummer Chief Trucks. I applaud the Mr. Harran, the mayor, council and the other Township Fire Chief for standing up for the hard paying tax payers of this town. I'm sure it was a tough decision but it had to be done. I was a volunteer for years and I've spoken to some long time volunteer firefighters in the past few days and they all agree Union FD has not followed rules or worked with anyone (including other Twp. FD's, police, EMS or the township for years) and something needed to be done before they hurt some. I think it shows us a lot that the other fire departments backed up the township and its leaders with this decision. If the members of Union want to volunteer continuing doing so in your own town or join one of the other vol fire departments in Bensalem, you may not get a chance to drive around in Hummers or spend tax money like its your own but you could still volunteer. Please remember just because you are volunteer you still need to be professional and there was nothing professional about the way you guys looked on tv last night (i guess the vol fire departments are hurting so bad for manpower that they will take anyone now).

As for the paid firefighter i don't see what they have to do with this conversation, seems like Union FD and their supports just don't like anyone....maybe its time to look in the mirror.

If the remaining 5 companies can prove they can provide coverage in a timely manner, why open the company back up? Re-assign the trucks, get rid of the building, and that's that. Sure a few volunteers will be upset, and maybe a few neighbors, but after all, they're volunteers. Go volunteer somewhere else. Better yet, scratch the entire volunteer system, condense to 3 or 4 companies, hire some people and put them through the academy. What do the companies average, 500, 600 calls a year? im sure a couple paid crews can handle that.

Whats with the hummer thing? Are ppl really that stupid? What costs more a hummer or an expedition? And as for looking professional Maybe you should leave lwer bucks county some time and drive west and see what other departments are like. And for thedriving around with thier family in the vehicles maybe you should look at some of the other companies. I have seen plently of kids in chiefs vehicles over the years at fire scenes and on the highways in bensalem. In fact every company in bensalem has done this. Not saying its right but dont point out union when cornwells, eddington, nottingham , newport and trevose and yes even the rescue squad have all done it and currently still do it.

And and they are hummer h3's

I refuse to have my taxes go up!!!! Obviously u dont know anything. The township doesnt own everything. The fire companies are a seperate orginization. The vehicles and equipment are bought with federal money from grants amd alot of times donations and fundraising.

So then your saying that the chiefs sgouldnt be driving thier chief cars out of the township then. Well i hate to tell you every chief i have ever met has abused this then. So now the township isnt allowing good ppl to help save lives and we are stuck with ppl like you still allowed. It is truely sooo sad. I would feel safer in the bloomsdale section of bristol.

TO ALL TOWNSHIP RESIDENTS WHO ARE READING THIS:
You are hereby invited to an Open House/Press Conference that is taking place at Union Fire Company TONIGHT at 7P.M. Feel free to ask whatever questions you have concerning this, and above all, Come here the truth of what is going on between Union and the Township.

Also:
Make your voices heard now!!
Contact the mayor's office, Barbara Kirk's Office (with Rudolph and Clark), and Fred Harran's Office and demand to know the truth!! Here's How to Contact:
Mayor's Office:
(215)633-3601
mayorsoffice@bensalem-township.org

Fred Harran:
(215)633-3710
fharran@bensalem-township.org

Barbara Kirk
(215)633-3600
bkirk@rudolphclarke.com

DEMAND THE TRUTH!!!

Also dont forget to attend the public meeting this thursday @ Penn Ryn Mansion on State Rd at 7Pm

"Bob" Naming names of an adult is one thing, but when you put it out on the internet where this person's children attend school for who knows who to see YOU crossed the line That was not only mean and obviously vindictive , but a dangerous thing to do . Do you not have children or watch the news? Those children do not deserve that you should apologize for your ignorance .

As a F/F who sat down with a past chief (who passed away), writing box assignments on index cards to help set the future of how box assignments are dispatched it infuriates me to no end that Fred Harran would do the very thing that other chiefs have done and still do today. Fred gets mad at a firehouse because he doesn't like what they are doing and off the box cards they go! Way to go Fred welcome to the real world of how the fire depts work in bucks county. I have never condoned this practice and hope to some day see where all fire depts are dispatched via a program of which depts are truly the next closest due and whereas when new elections happen in depts that chiefs can't keep changing box assignments based on who the happy neighbor is today. And I do know that Freds directives for how bensalems fire depts are dispatched do not always allow for the next closest due to the said incident to be dispatched when it involves a border town. Hopefully some one doesn't pay a price for this!

Good for you Wendy!!!

Come out hear the truth.... Mr Harran just wants you to hear his side. Come out and hear Unions Side... then make your decision.

Also, Ask MR HARRAN EXACTLY what the Townships Administrative and Operatiaonals Directions are for the VOLUNTEER firefighters. Good Luck with that answer.

Excuse me MR. My town but I am a member of Union Fire company and I do not appreciate you questioning me as a firefighter! Yes I am a volunteer and no I do not live in bensalem but who are you to question me???? I work my butt off at my station and now I get caught in the middle of all of this and now im not allowed to fight fire? How is that fair to me? I am fighting to get my station back! My chief has been our chief for years and he has had my back through everything and I have full faith in him as with the rest of my company. Do me a favor and learn the facts before you question me as a firefighter. How dare you! It doesnt matter where I live I still get out of bed in the middle of the night and put my life on the line just like you do! and yet you are better than me?? and have the right to question things you probably only know half the story? Keep bashing us as firefighters. Maybe you should man up and put your real name so that the township can see who you are. Oh and by the way, im not allowed to fight fires in bensalem township or I get arrested. Thats my punishment. Sounds real fair to me. The bottom line is, the person whos house is on fire doesnt give a damn where the firefighters live. Just that they show up on the trucks. Some "brotherhood" this is when all the other chiefs are against us. How am I supposed to feel safe going into a burning building knowing that they may not have my back? This is beyond personal. Thank you for your snide comments.

I have the upmost respect for my volunteer firefighters and i fully appreciate everything they do. They risk thier lives for me and my family and all they get is a $500 styphen around xmas and life insurance if they die. Seems like we take more care of thier famalies then them. I welcome anyone to come to my township and volunteer for me and my neighbors.

In fact when this is over and union has one i think i will get myself an application to join. I would be proud to volunteer my time and help protect my neighbors in Bensalem Township!!

A couple of comments for the uninformed:

While driving around in H3's may give a bad impression, most of Union's district is prone to flooding. The H3 has a higher ground clearance and is cheaper than the Expedition.

The Volunteer fire service represents a significant savings to the community, even if we have too many trucks. It is cheaper to buy trucks than pay employees. Just look at Cherry Hill NJ. A community the same size as Bensalem that was once all volunteer. Bensalem residents pay slightly more then $1m per year to the volunteers. Cherry Hill's fire budget is $25m. Yes, almost 25 x as much!

The comment of "3 or 4 paid companies" really got me. The most recent ISO (the insurance survey the sets the cost of your home owners and property insurance) states that Bensalem must be protected by a minimum of 4 ladders and 5 engines. Anything less and your insurance rates would go through the roof!

Now for the other side; the township is mandated to see that the tax money is spent appropriately. Also, local government is mandated by law to provide fire protection to its residents. Accordingly, the township has the authority to take the actions it sees fit to ensure safe and prudent operations. Union is not an island on its own. When the Director provides clear direction, it must be followed.

It is very sad that this situation has been drug out to become a public spectacle. Shame on both Director Harran and Chief Troisi for allowing this to happen.

The insurance companies also take into consideration the mileage the residence or buisness is situated from the nearest fire dept. If the insurance industry as a whole knew how various depts change thier box assignments for personal reasons vs. the next closest piece of proper equipment they would probably challange the amount of the claim to be paid or pay it and go after the respected parties for not setting up the boxes the way they are suppose to be. A fully paid 24/7 township can get away with dispatching only twp. apparatus within the twp. But we are talking 1 four man crew during the day! I hope I don't know someone who gets injured in an accident or some type of property loss on any border town of bensalem and find out through some sort of directive that a proper piece of equiptment was right around the corner and could of made some sort of difference was not dispatched due do someones ideology of how they want the twp fire depts to run calls.

What you have said about box cards being changed on a whim was very true years ago and may still have some validity. However there is oversight in Bensalem now and with Fire companies working together there would be even more.

Without question a fully paid fire department, that is appropriately funded and adequately staffed should be the best protection. Often its not. Look at the financial issues in Philly and Camden. The fire departments are often the first to get hit with the budgetary ax. Right now (or at least before the suspension) Bensalem has over 3 trained firefighters per 1,000 residents. This is significantly higher than the national average of communities served by volunteers, just over 1 FF per 1,000 residents. Our loss rates are statistically very low. Overall, we are doing a very good job at a fraction of what a fully paid service would cost. Do you own property in Bensalem? Are you so convinced that a career department would be so much better you would be willing to have your township taxes double?

Like any institution, the fire service must evolve and be willing to contribute, adapt and accept change. Let us hope that this spectacle that is unfolding now does not destroy something that works.

I’m a Bensalem tax payer that’s who I am….. I understand that you want to support your Chief (leadership) but it’s apparent the leadership of Union FD has to be changed. You say you aren’t allowed to volunteer or go on fires or you will be arrested…well it seems simple to me if you really want to volunteer you will join a vol fire department in your own community or join one of the other vol fire departments in Bensalem. Being a vol firefighter is not your job, nobody forces you to get out of bed in the middle of the night and respond you do it because you want too.

Because we are a brotherhood plain and simple. You do not know the facts. It IS my job. It may not be to you but I take a lot of pride in this. Again, you keep your name a secret instead of being a real man. I will stand by my chief and my president and my brothers because that is what we do. No one else will run into a burning building. I sure know you wont. I went through months and months of training to get here and you are not going to ruin this for me. Know your facts. Thats all I have to say.

SP your missing my point,No I would not like to see a fully paid fire dept the cost would be astronomical. Bensalem does have a lot of well qualified volunteer f/f in the twp. I am just trying to point out to people like mytown really have no concept of the inner workings of the volunteer service as a whole not just in bensalem but the whole country depends on volunteers. 70% of the f/f in the nation are volunteers,it has been working since benjamin franklin. I do not live in bensalem ,in fact I too run with a dept for which I am not a resident because I am only 1.2 miles from the closest firehouse which happens to be my neighboring twp.The idea being to get to the fire house as quickly as possible to put a piece of apparatus on the street vs 3mi to the closest firehouse in my twp.I still think the members in that firehouse should be the ones dealing with the internal problems,not a public safety director who is not fully putting the residents best interest first because there are fire calls/auto extracations being dispatched in bensalem where bordering companys with closer pieces of apparatus are not being dispatched during the daytime hours.Don't get me wrong it is happening all around us with other depts also.As I said in one of my other comments fire depts and directors should not be allowed to call county dispatch to change who is responding on certain box assignments because they don't like what a particular dept may or may not due.someday the 911 center will stop it!!