City Council has unanimously approved contracting with Emergency Services Consulting International to conduct a consolidation study to consider the impact on response times, insurance rates and other factors.   

"We're going to look at the city's aging fire stations," said Mayor Richard David. "Some of them require significant investment to stay in operation. So what we've done is I've initiated a study on the impact of a new consolidated fire station at several potential sites." The Binghamton Fire Department in 2017 handled 10,213 emergency calls — less than a quarter for fires and more than three-quarters for emergency medical services and other emergencies, such as vehicle accidents, hazardous materials, water and elevators.

Crews that will be working with them were running the soon-to-be commissioned Engine 892 through a driving course this week, working with a manufacturing rep, pumping water and working out how gear will fit inside the new engines, at the Victory Fire Co. No. 2 in Spring Garden Township.  

York Area United Fire & Rescue is a shared service between Manchester, Springettsbury and Spring Garden townships, and supports firefighting and fire prevention efforts of all departments in York County.

Eula used the $200,000 grant supporting rural fire departments to make the purchase.

The new firefighting vehicle has a 3,000 gallon water drop tank, which can give firefighters immediate access to water.

"We can drop that 3,000 gallon drop tank and dump the 3,000 pounds of water this truck carries in it in less than two minutes, and then while the other trucks are drafting out of that tank, we can shuttle water back and forth and so it saves a lot of time," says Eula Assistant Fire Chief Charlie Dawson.

The only problem is the vehicle cannot be used to fight fires. It does not hold water. Right now they are only able to use it as a means to haul people and tools to a scene while they wait on mutual aid from other departments.

"And of course without a fire truck in our community, the community members are at risk if their home catches on fire. We have no way to put it out," Chief Rick Besette told KY3.

One month ago, the water pump on Roby's 1969 fire truck broke. Then a few days later, 23 minutes of waiting and watching for neighboring departments to show up and put out a fire.