Fire officials say a longstanding policy has been to take department vehicles out on various tasks, such as going to the grocery store or hitting the gym, in an effort to minimize response time should a fire call come in.
Township manager George Wolfe and Colonial Park fire chief John Fogg each confirmed a non-reportable accident involving a fire apparatus on Jonestown Road.
Fogg said the incident occurred while the crew was on "routine business," but Wolfe said he wasn't aware if the apparatus was on an emergency call or training at the time.
"It's concerning in that we at the township need to know that equipment that we own ... we need to know how they're used," Wolfe said. "We don't permit them to leave the township without our permission."