Several fire companies and ambulance squads in the Newtown area are among 2,500 agencies statewide receiving grant funding through the Pennsylvania Office of the State Fire Commissioner.
The grants are part of the Fire Company and Emergency Medical Services Grant Program and will help fund equipment purchases, training, facility upgrades, and other operational costs.
• Newtown Emergency Medical Services – $15,000
• Newtown Fire Association – $16,002
• Upper Makefield Fire Company – $16,322.02
• Lingohocken Fire Company – $15,461.31
“Our firefighters and EMS personnel selflessly dedicate themselves to keeping our communities safe, often with limited resources,” said State Fire Commissioner Thomas Cook. “This funding is a testament to the Shapiro Administration’s commitment to ensuring that fire companies and EMS agencies—both career and volunteer—have the tools they need to do their jobs effectively and safely.”
Republican State Sen. Frank Farry, who also serves as chief of the Langhorne-Middletown Fire Company, said fire companies and ambulance squads in his Sixth Senate District will receive more than $400,000 in state funds.
“Through legislation, I was instrumental in reauthorizing this grant program, as well as expanding it to better meet the needs of our local volunteer and career fire companies,” said Farry. “This state funding is much needed for both our volunteer and paid first responders and the communities they protect.”
Bucks County has more than 60 volunteer fire departments and a growing number that use paid departments, according to the Bucks County Planning Commission’s 2019 report, “The Future of Bucks County’s Fire Services.” The report estimated there were just over 1,200 volunteer firefighters in the county at that time.
With volunteer fire companies facing staffing challenges, Cook said Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro’s proposed 2025-2026 budget includes an additional $30 million in grants for fire companies and a pilot program to assist companies that collaborate.
