Mont Clare, Oaks Fire Companies to Consolidate

In a move that’s expected to save money and improve services, two local fire companies will merge to form Black Rock Volunteer Fire Company.

Members of and recently voted to move ahead with consolidation. In 2011, the Upper Providence Township Board of Supervisors passed a resolution asking the companies, which are three miles apart, to look into a merger. A committee formed and began working with the state’s Department of Community and Economic Development, and a timeline and action plan is now underway following the vote.

In total, the new company is expected to have approximately 80 volunteers, and together, the companies currently have 10 pieces of apparatus. At least one of those should be able to be eliminated in the merger, a move expected to save more than half a million dollars.

The company consolidation will provide for more efficient use of resources, improved services, reduced apparatus replacement requirements, elimination of duplicate equipment, cost reductions, better use of personnel, uniform training and operations guidelines and possibly improved response times, according to a memo announcing the final phases of consolidation.

Both fire stations—Mont Clare’s on Bridge Street and Oaks Fire Company on Green Tree Road—will continue to house fire apparatus, but the anticipation is that they’ll be jointly dispatched starting Feb. 1. Oaks, currently company 63, and Mont Clare, currently company 55, will have those numbers returned to the county and the new Black Rock Volunteer Fire Company will be assigned Montgomery County number 99.

The Mont Clare station will specialize on the engine company and marine unit, while the Oaks station will house the truck and rescue components of the new company. However, both companies’ volunteers will be cross-trained and will operate a single company. The memo asked that a funding suspension, which is , be lifted after the new command structure is put in place.

The new command structure will be established by the beginning of next month, with at least three chief officers in place, as the township’s Fire and Emergency Services Board requires.

Both companies will hold on to their non-profit status until all legal and administrative ends are tied up, which will likely happen by the end of this year.

Upper Providence Township is served by Trappe, Collegeville, Humane and Friendship Fire Companies along with both Oaks and Mont Clare, which are the only two within the confines of the township.