The new fire department covering Harmar and Springdale townships begins responding to emergency calls in two weeks.
Allegheny County Judge Lawrence O'Toole last week gave final approval to the merger of the volunteer fire companies, which received the state attorney general's blessing for the merger in March.
The move creates Allegheny Valley Volunteer Fire Company No. 1 (Station 315) — formed to address manpower problems and cut costs by eliminating the duplication of services and equipment.
The company goes live at 7 p.m. June 6 and will run out of both fire stations. The central offices will be in Springdale Township.
"We're really excited about this -- everybody is," said Harmar Volunteer Fire Company President Sam Boak. "It's coming up quick. Everything seemed to drag on at the beginning."
About three years ago, the township departments initiated merger discussions with the Cheswick and Springdale borough fire companies.
The borough departments decided not to move forward with the process, saying they didn't have manpower problems and felt the township departments didn't put enough emphasis on firefighter training.
Pam Manning, Springdale Township Volunteer Fire Department vice president, argued the township companies place the highest level of importance on training, saying: "We train all the time. We train locally and travel for it."
The combined department will elect officers the night it goes live. Manning said officers will come from both companies.
Boak said the department will have about 20 active firefighters.
The department will eliminate two of its four fire engines. Both were manufactured in the 1980s. One will be donated, Boak said. No decision has been made on the other, he said.
Bingo will be held Mondays at the fire hall in Springdale Township and on Fridays at the Harmar fire hall.
