Bucks County fire company to close after 99 years of service

BRISTOL TWP., Pa. (WPVI) -- Bristol Township Council in Bucks County has voted to close the Newportville Volunteer Fire Company No. 1.

The vote happened Thursday night during a jam-packed council meeting.

"We're still open for the next 30 days, but coming in here, it's still sad. It still hurts me," said Lt. Colin Sweeney. "Knowing in 30 days this is going to be no more. I'm not going to be able to walk in and hang with my family and friends."

Bristol Township council voted 5 to 2 Thursday night to close the firehouse for good, citing reasons such as manpower struggles and overall operational issues.

Currently there's only 18 active volunteers serving the fire company.

The township also cites the fire company's slow and lack of response times as a major part of the problem too.

"Newportville was not the first arriving apparatus on 20 of 24 listed incidents," said Township Manager Randee Mazur.

Mazur says this decision comes after years of failed merger and consolidation efforts by Newportville.

For some, this station closing is still a cause for concern.

"I live in an apartment and it can be dangerous. I'm not even sure where the other firehouse would be if something bad were to happen," said Sarah Pabon of Bristol Township.

Emergency calls will now fall on neighboring agencies and volunteer companies to fill the void.

Lt. Sweeney says they plan to continue their calls for service and make the most of the final month of operations.

"We're going to act like nothing's happening and we're going to get these trucks out like nothing's changed. That's what we did. That's what we want to do," said Sweeney.

Newportville Fire Chief Walt Prickett III released a statement thanking the community for support:

From everyone at Newportville Fire Company #1, we simply want to say thank you.

The amount of support we have received from our community over the last several weeks has been overwhelming. Every phone call, message, donation, visit, shared post, and every person who showed up and stood beside us means more to our members than we could ever put into words.

Tonight's decision does not change the gratitude we have for this community, nor does it erase the nearly century-long relationship between Newportville Fire Company and the people we have been honored to serve.

For 99 years, generations of Newportville firefighters have answered the call for this community. And we want you to know that we will continue to be here until the very end - showing up, answering calls, helping our neighbors, and doing what Newportville has always done: serve.

Whatever the days ahead may bring, we will never forget the people who stood beside us when it mattered most. You reminded our members exactly why this fire company has fought so hard for its place in this community.

From the bottom of our hearts, thank you. We truly appreciate every single one of you.

Newportville Fire Company #1

99 years of service.

99 years of answering the call.

We're not done yet.

President

Walt Prickett III