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5/31/2006 - While sitting around the table at the station a few people ran
into the firehouse and yelled that a man had just been shot outside of the
station. Sure enough, a white male was seen running south on Franklin
st w/ a gunshot wound. The male ran three blocks south to High St
before Collapsing in front an apartment building. Police arrived and
found a male with a single gsw to the chest. EMS transported the male
class 2 to a local hospital where he was listed in Critical, but stable
condition.
into the firehouse and yelled that a man had just been shot outside of the
station. Sure enough, a white male was seen running south on Franklin
st w/ a gunshot wound. The male ran three blocks south to High St
before Collapsing in front an apartment building. Police arrived and
found a male with a single gsw to the chest. EMS transported the male
class 2 to a local hospital where he was listed in Critical, but stable
condition.
| BOROUGH COUNCIL APPROVES NEW QUINT FOR EMPIRE |
5/4/2006 - The new fire truck being proposed for the borough may well be
housed at Empire Fire Company after all. Last month, a proposal to do just that
was thrown for a loop when the Phillies Fire Company made a surprise,
last-minute offer to contribute $100,000 toward the purchase of the truck -- so
long as it was painted in Phillies colors and housed in its vintage Chestnut Street
firehouse. The Borough Council had held off on moving ahead while it
considered the Phillies offer. Then, in the meantime, Empire stepped up and
offered $100,000 of its own. Councilman Arthur Green, who chairs the councils
fire and safety committee, said his committee met with all four of Pottstowns fire
companies to discuss the matter.
In the end, he said, the committees recommendation will be to support its
original recommendation and house the new truck in Empires equally vintage
firehouse, also on Chestnut Street. Borough Council will vote on that
recommendation at Mondays meeting. Green said the committee discussed
taking the money from both fire companies, "but there were concerns about
co-ownership and the consensus among the fire companies was that we should
avoid that." Last month, Fire Chief Richard Lengel told council that Empires
need for a new truck was paramount, ever since its 1994 pumper truck was
found to have broken support beams, a $60,000 repair. With the retirement of a
"quint" truck from North End, the borough faced a shortage of both a pumper
and another ladder truck. A "quint" is so nicknamed because it is capable of
performing five major functions, two of them being a pumper and ladder truck.
The proposal has been to buy a new "qunit" to be housed at Empire. "They are
in the most need," Green said.
The cost of a specific truck has not yet been announced publicly, but Green
said Wednesday that new fire trucks can now cost between $800,000 and $1
million. "Were at the point that the individual companies can no longer afford to
purchase their own," he said. Despite the potential shortage, Green said the
fire companies assured him "currently, we have enough equipment to meet the
boroughs fire protection needs." However, he said, the borough should conduct
"a more in-depth survey to see what the boroughs future needs are. And to pay
for those needs, the safety committee has also discussed raising or
restructuring the borough fire tax to be sure enough money is set aside to fund
major capital projects, like the purchase of new trucks. Last month, Lengel had
recommended raising the 2.8-mil fire tax to 3 mills in order to fund a capital
purchases budget. "We have to plan for future needs," Green said.
housed at Empire Fire Company after all. Last month, a proposal to do just that
was thrown for a loop when the Phillies Fire Company made a surprise,
last-minute offer to contribute $100,000 toward the purchase of the truck -- so
long as it was painted in Phillies colors and housed in its vintage Chestnut Street
firehouse. The Borough Council had held off on moving ahead while it
considered the Phillies offer. Then, in the meantime, Empire stepped up and
offered $100,000 of its own. Councilman Arthur Green, who chairs the councils
fire and safety committee, said his committee met with all four of Pottstowns fire
companies to discuss the matter.
In the end, he said, the committees recommendation will be to support its
original recommendation and house the new truck in Empires equally vintage
firehouse, also on Chestnut Street. Borough Council will vote on that
recommendation at Mondays meeting. Green said the committee discussed
taking the money from both fire companies, "but there were concerns about
co-ownership and the consensus among the fire companies was that we should
avoid that." Last month, Fire Chief Richard Lengel told council that Empires
need for a new truck was paramount, ever since its 1994 pumper truck was
found to have broken support beams, a $60,000 repair. With the retirement of a
"quint" truck from North End, the borough faced a shortage of both a pumper
and another ladder truck. A "quint" is so nicknamed because it is capable of
performing five major functions, two of them being a pumper and ladder truck.
The proposal has been to buy a new "qunit" to be housed at Empire. "They are
in the most need," Green said.
The cost of a specific truck has not yet been announced publicly, but Green
said Wednesday that new fire trucks can now cost between $800,000 and $1
million. "Were at the point that the individual companies can no longer afford to
purchase their own," he said. Despite the potential shortage, Green said the
fire companies assured him "currently, we have enough equipment to meet the
boroughs fire protection needs." However, he said, the borough should conduct
"a more in-depth survey to see what the boroughs future needs are. And to pay
for those needs, the safety committee has also discussed raising or
restructuring the borough fire tax to be sure enough money is set aside to fund
major capital projects, like the purchase of new trucks. Last month, Lengel had
recommended raising the 2.8-mil fire tax to 3 mills in order to fund a capital
purchases budget. "We have to plan for future needs," Green said.
| EMPIRE HOOK AND LADDER FIRE CO. 76 N FRANKLIN ST. POTTSTOWN PA, 19464 610.326.2212 EMERGENCY'S DIAL 911 EMAIL WEBMASTER |
| MAY 2006 ARCHIVES |
| BOROUGH RESIDENT SHOT NEAR FIREHOUSE |