West Point fire company in Hempfield placed on probation

The West Point Volunteer Fire Company in Hempfield was put on probation this week, a decision township leaders attributed to the resignation or transfer of three members, including the chief.

Township supervisors Monday unanimously voted to place the company on probation, giving them 30 days to submit a corrective plan to officials with the Hempfield Township Fire Department. The company, informed of the decision Wednesday via email, will have 90 days to implement the plan once it is received by the township.

“It was kind of the perfect storm where some very active folks they were relying on to move that equipment resigned or went to another of our fire stations,” Hempfield fire Chief Tony Kovacic said. “When that happened, that’s going to impact (fire service). We just need to make sure the fire protection continues in that area.”

According to Kovacic, West Point fire Chief Ed Stofko and an active member resigned, and another active member transferred to a different fire station within the township.

Stofko declined to comment.

That left West Point with about 16 active and social members, said Jessie Webb Zemba, president of the West Point Volunteer Fire Company.

“We’re kind of shocked,” Zemba said of the decision to place the company on probation. “We’ve been in contact with (the township) multiple times, and we were never told of this.”

Kovacic noted the township is able to place fire stations on probation based on verbiage written in the service agreements, which were signed by the township’s 11 stations last year.

During the probationary period, another township fire station will be dispatched with West Point, Kovacic said.

In that time, the company will create the corrective plan, which will determine the workflow for writing reports and will ensure firefighters are receiving necessary training.

“I know the fire department is in a position to try and rebound,” Kovacic said during the supervisors meeting.

Zemba noted the company has been working to recruit members by placing yard signs around the West Point neighborhood. Officials posted about recruitment opportunities on the department’s Facebook page in early June, calling for active and social members.

“Everything we have, we’ve done ourselves,” Zemba said, noting the company owns its fire trucks and has held fundraisers such as hoagie sales and bingos.

Members of the West Point Fire Volunteer Company noted recruitment often comes in waves and includes periods where there are fewer members.

“We just want our community to know we’re not giving up on them,” said Zemba, who has been with the company for 19 years. “The Wendover, West Point community relies on us, and we’re going to keep our head above water, paddle this out and be there for the community.”