Montgomery Township advances plan for full-time fire department without consultant review in 3-2 vote

Montgomery Township supervisors voted 3-2 Monday night to move ahead with Fire Chief Bill Wiegman’s proposal to transition the township’s combination fire department into a fully staffed career operation by 2026.

The board declined to hire an outside consultant to review the plan, a step some residents urged as a safeguard before committing to what they described as one of the township’s most significant changes in decades. 

Supervisors Tanya Bamford and Beth Staab were the dissenting votes.

The decision capped more than two hours of presentations and public comment, with dozens of residents, firefighters, and committee members weighing in.

Supporters framed the proposal as an urgent investment in public safety, while skeptics stressed caution over costs and transparency.

Chief outlines need for 24/72 staffing

Wiegman, who also serves as fire marshal and director of fire services, told the board that declining volunteer numbers have created serious gaps in coverage, particularly overnight and on weekends.

“Our volunteers are dedicated, but the reality is the numbers are not there anymore,” he said. “When someone calls 911, they deserve a guaranteed response, not the hope that someone is available.”

The plan calls for hiring 19 full-time firefighters and adopting a 24/72 schedule — four firefighters on duty at all times, 365 days a year. 

In a 24/72 model, firefighters work a full 24-hour shift, then off for three consecutive 24-hour periods. This schedule results in a 42-hour average workweek.

Wiegman said the model aligns with national best practices, improves firefighter health and safety, and avoids the overtime strain of the older 24/48 schedule.

Debate over consultant review

Ahead of the vote, supervisors considered three consultant proposals, ranging from $16,500 from Aspirant Consulting Group for a staffing-only review to more than $47,000 for a comprehensive operational study from Center for Public Safety Management.

Supervisors Vice Chairwoman Annette Long underscored her trust in Wiegman’s proposal, recalling two points he made at a recent Public Safety meeting that resonated strongly with her.

“He doesn't see ever needing to increase staffing again in 20 years if we go to this plan that he has laid out so beautifully for us,” she said.  “Right now, we don't know who's coming to the fire. Depending on what time it is, what day it is, we don't know who's going to be there. Are they going to be there in time to assist our residents, our businesses?”

Long added a personal reflection, sharing how her own son had experienced a house fire years ago. Watching the fire department respond left her both shaken and grateful.

“It was scary, heartbreaking, and at the same time it was like a miracle — the dogs got out, the people got out, everybody was good,” she said.

She admired firefighters for their work and expressed her support for strengthening the department.

“I applaud all of our fire department for that, the work that they do. I can't see myself ever doing something like that, not even when I was in my twenties. So, thank you for what you do. It takes special people to do that,” she said.

“I have lived here for 32 years. I have been on this board for 16 years. That is half of the time that I have lived here. I have seen Bill Wiegman come up through the ranks as a volunteer. I have seen the literal shit show that our fire department used to be,” Supervisor Candyce Chimera said. “We put him in charge. He came. He knew what needed to be done. He was able to finesse it. He was able to do everything that we asked of him, which is why I have the utmost trust in his plan and feel that we should move forward with it as soon as possible without the need for a study. He has done the work.”

Bamford said she supported commissioning an outside study, stressing that her position was not a reflection of doubt in Wiegman’s work.

Instead, she described the proposed transition to a fully staffed fire department as a “generational change” that required additional scrutiny before moving forward.

“I could not agree with Candyce more — things were subpar and in need of improvement. And we brought Bill on board. Chief Wiegman, you have just done a tremendous job in turning things around and improving the culture,” Bamford said. “I applaud you for that and I know that you have put an incredible amount of thought and work into this plan.”

Still, Bamford argued the township would benefit from “a fresh set of eyes” to validate assumptions and confirm the data supporting the proposal.

“I’m not an expert in fire safety, but I have enough questions about the proposal that was presented and the manner in which it was presented that I think we’d benefit from adding to your team in this capacity,” she said. “Again, I just want to make sure we’ve got all of our ducks in a row and that we put forward the best plan possible.”

Calling the expansion to full-time 24/7 staffing inevitable as volunteer numbers decline, Bamford said her concerns were about implementation, not direction. 

“This is not an if but a when,” she said.

She added that investing in a consultant to review response times, metrics, and financial impacts would be “taxpayer dollars well invested in the success of this plan moving forward,”

She said that investing in a consultant to review response times, metrics, and financial impacts would be “taxpayer dollars well invested in the success of this plan moving forward.”

Staab said she supports Wiegman’s plan but believes an outside consultant could help ensure the township makes the best possible investment.

“Our responsibilities here — none of us are fire experts,” Staab said. “We are certainly here to serve public safety, but we also respond to our voters and our taxpayers.”

Staab said that while she considers the chief’s proposal sound, she wanted to be certain no other options could meet or even improve upon the township’s needs.

“As long as this does not delay our decision in implementation, I see no reason why we wouldn’t try to improve the program and the proposal that’s in place,” she said. “Therefore, I would go with an outside consultant to improve upon what we have here, make it better, make it safer, and answer those questions that we all have.”

Supervisor Chairwoman Audrey Ware-Jones stressed that supervisors live in the township and pay the same taxes as their neighbors.

“A tax increase is not anything we’re looking forward to, now, next year, 10 years from now, whenever. It’s not anything any of us wants,” she said.

After consulting with residents, former supervisors, and peers in other municipalities, Ware said that the staffing proposal is well-supported by local expertise.

“From a staffing perspective, I feel that Chief has done the work,” she said. “We are currently already have some full-time folks. So, we’re expanding on what we already have. They were full volunteer and then they went into career. That makes sense to bring in a consultant — it’s new for you, you don’t know what you don’t know yet. For us, it’s different.”

Ware-Jones said she could support using a consultant in the future for facility questions — such as evaluating whether to consolidate or expand firehouses — but not for staffing.

“I’m of the mindset that we do not need to do a staffing model,” she said.

Residents voice support and concern

Public Safety Committee Chair Dan Gormley, of Country Club Drive, told supervisors that the committee has been discussing the proposed change with Wiegman for more than a year.   

“We put this to a vote and, from the public safety committee, which is made up of volunteers from this township, we recommend moving forward with Chief Wiegman's plan as presented,” he said.

Career Captain Andrew Backland, representing the township firefighters’ union, called the transition overdue and supported the proposed 24/72 shift schedule.

“We’re not asking to get rid of volunteers. We’re asking to strengthen our combination department with additional career staffing that supports our volunteers,” he said, noting that senior leaders throughout the Fire Department of Montgomery Township backed the chief’s recommendations.

Backland said the 24/48 schedule, while potentially cost-saving, would add more than $38,000 in overtime and about 840 more hours.

“That’s another full-time job … in hours,” Backland said. “It equates to a 42-hour work week instead of a 56-hour or higher work week. This is much more manageable for the workers … we must understand the human impact of those extra hours.”

Beyond the budget, Backland stressed the risks of fatigue.

“Firefighting is one of the most physically demanding and hazardous professions. Sleep deprivation and fatigue compound these risks,” he said, citing international research linking lack of recovery time to increased risks of heart disease, cancer, PTSD and other long-term health issues.

He also pointed to the effect on families, especially younger firefighters.

“A schedule demanding 840 more hours than the average worker places undue strain on our personnel,” Backland said. “The 24/72 model allows us to be present for more of those opportunities with our families.”

Finally, he tied the issue to recruitment and retention.

“Applicants who might be discouraged by the 24/48 schedule will be willing to apply if they see healthier, more modern schedules that prioritize wellness,” Backland said.

He said fire departments nationwide — from Florida to Pennsylvania — were making the same transition.

“The 24/72 schedule is not about working less,” Backland concluded. “It’s about working smarter. It enhances our health, strengthens our families, and improves our ability to serve Montgomery Township with excellence and integrity.”

Resident Warren Sabia, 81, of Pine Crest Lane, urged caution.

“This is an ungodly complicated thing to do,” he said. “I recommend that you do this, that you get a consultant and look at this. I don't see how the supervisors and the people who run this township can do that at the same time as doing their normal job.”

Sabia’s housemate, Winter Morris, said the very large project will have huge impacts financially for the community.

“I would highly recommend that a very comprehensive report be made um using the appropriate consultants to flesh out all of the considerations going forward,” Morris said.

Resident Steve Cass, of Walden Lane, told supervisors there was no need to spend more money to keep looking at a problem that Wiegman found an answer to.”

“So, in my humble opinion, in my vote, I would say let's not do the survey. Let's act with speed because one of the issues that someone just brought up is that we're doing this too fast. Every day, response times get longer. Every day, there's less and less volunteers out there doing this job. So, we're going to waste more time before we fix the problem. I don't think so. I saw the plan. I think it's a good one for my uneducated opinion.”

Carla Helaszek, of Addison Lane, chair of the township Republican Committee, voiced strong concerns about the pace and scale of the fire staffing proposal.

“I don’t know anyone who is opposed to improving the public safety of our citizens,” she said. “What the pushback is, is the methodology that is being used, meaning how fast the hiring and how big of a tax increase is going to hit us all at once.”

Helaszek argued that hiring a consultant should not be used simply to justify rapid implementation of the plan.

“I would strongly urge the board to recognize that there are many families, many of them seniors, who are struggling to stay in the township right now, and after living here for 20 or 30 years, they shouldn’t have to be forced with the decision to move out,” she said.

“What I would like to see, if you would be willing to, is to put the RFP out online for public comment because I need to make sure that it’s got the right questions in there and that it’s not skewed in any way to give you the answer that you want,” Helaszek said. “I would very much also like to see in any plan to improve the fire safety, whether it’s more people or engines, what metrics are in place to see that we really have to go from five to 24. Why isn’t it five to eight, and eight to 12, and 12 to 15 over a five-year period of time to reduce the tax burden?”

She said it could also affect surrounding communities if volunteer firefighters seek paid positions in Montgomery Township.

“I also have a concern about the volunteer firefighters from our neighboring communities applying for positions here and then we’re putting our neighboring communities at risk. So, it’s not something that can be rushed. I would strongly encourage the board to take careful consideration of the speed at which this seems to be wanting to go versus the huge tax increase that you’re expecting residents to have to pay for that,” she said.

Township Manager Carolyn McCreary confirmed that taxes will likely rise to fund the expansion, though exact numbers are not yet set.

Budget proposals are due by Nov. 10, with final adoption expected in December.