Fellow firefighters take in Muncy Township crew while firehall is uninhabitable

A temporary relocation of fire engines and an ambulance from Pennsdale to Muncy Creek Township has highlighted how these volunteers care for each other and the communities they serve.

"If we needed their help, they would have helped us," said Scott Delany, chief of Station 39 Muncy Area Volunteer Fire Co. of Muncy Township Volunteer Fire Co.

The company in Pennsdale Tuesday relocated its three engines to the Muncy Creek Township station, an approximate 10-minute drive. The fire station in Pennsdale needs to have bacterial contamination remediation cleanup done by ServPro and that requires two township supervisors' signatures, which by the time they left the station pad outside the contaminated building had not yet happened.

"They need our help now, so we are helping them," Delany said. "That's all it is."

There is an existing good relationship between the fire companies, he remarked.

"It doesn't matter if it is Muncy Township, Muncy Creek Township or Muncy borough," Delany said. "We're all going together anyway."

The only problem is Pennsdale firefighters need to drive to Muncy Creek Township to get their trucks.

"Which is a little inconvenient," Delany said.

"We're all still going to the same calls," he said.

If a fire or emergency happens requiring multiple units, "they'll come in and get in their trucks and we'll get in our trucks," he said.

"They got code to get in the Station 39 building," Delany said. "They can do whatever they've got to do."

The station has gear cleaner inside and the firefighters can wash their gear, he noted.

"They're going to be a part of us for however long it takes," he said. "They're going to have the same privileges our guys have to do whatever they have to do."

He added how "it is a shame what is happening out there but we have got to help them."

"It is about protecting people," Delany said. The fire service is struggling enough as it is, he stressed. "Now to put that burden on those guys – holy cow.!"

Muncy Township Volunteer Fire Co. Chief Scott Oldweiler said if the amendment document is not signed by the remainder of the week that he hoped the public would come out to attend the 2 p.m. Friday hearing in Lycoming County Court in support of the fire company and the residents it serves.

"It is very emotional," Oldweiler said in the Station 39 headquarters. "We did not want to do this. We did not want it this extreme but here we are."

"It just goes to show what the volunteers around here (do/does) for people," Palmatier said.

To ease the concern of residents the fire company is still responding.

The fire company leadership said they intend to have the ambulance for Muncy Area Volunteer Fire Co. Station 23 at Station 39 through Sunday and then are working on keeping it at a location in Pennsdale.

"Yes, our times will be delayed by 10 minutes or more depending on where we have to respond to, knowing that we have to come in here to grab a truck first," Oldweiler said.

But with Muncy's help it will also help Pennsdale respond a little bit quicker, in the situation for now, he said.

"Some of the things we did is they're on a dual dispatch system now, so any call that Muncy Township gets Station 23 Station 39 will be dispatched simultaneously, so we can get them all rolling at the same time," Palmatier said.

"We do the same thing both ways," Oldweiler said. "If Muncy has a call we're on a dual dispatch to help them out."

"Everyone is helping everyone at this point."