East Lansdowne Fire Company has announced it expects to close at the end of the year.
As with departments across Delaware County and nationally, it has become more difficult for volunteer fire companies to maintain sufficient staffing, particularly during the daytime.
On Friday the company posted a letter on social media stating the decision to close is not something they are making willingly, but because the borough is unwilling to provide funding to support the hiring of part-time or daytime staffing, and has also notified them it will stop supporting the fire company entirely.
According to the notice, the borough will vote will at Monday night’s council meeting to terminate its association with East Lansdowne Fire Company.
A request for comment from borough officials has not yet been returned.
The fire company was founded in 1911 as an all-volunteer organization.
The company said that over the past decade it has had numerous discussions with borough officials about the need for daytime assistance to ensure adequate coverage during low-volunteer periods, and despite repeated acknowledgement of the problem, funds have never been found.
The fire company said it does not have the funds to provide daytime staffing and over the years income from annual fund drives has diminished to nearly nothing, forcing the company’s discontinuation.
The fire company notice said future fire protection will come from surrounding mutual-aid fire companies, most of which are also volunteer and suffering similar issues.
Upper Darby Fire Department, whose coverage area surrounds East Lansdowne, has a combination volunteer and career staff and has seen its coverage area grow. The department also provides first due response coverage for Millbourne and parts of Darby Township.