LETTER TO RESIDENTS - Guyasuta Volunteer Fire Department

Dear Resident:

As many of you are aware, at its regular meeting on September 13, 2011, the Township of O'Hara Council voted unanimously to remove Guyasuta Volunteer Fire Department as an emergency service provider to the Township. Township Council had suspended the Department on June 7th after Council lost faith in the Department's ability to safely and effectively provide emergency services within the Township. This was the result of the Department not making required changes to fire dispatch assignments (run cards) as they had agreed to make and led Council to believe that they had made. These changes would have greatly enhanced the safety of area school children at the high school and elementary school, residents and veterans at the VA Hospital. At the time of the suspension, Council requested that the Department reorganize its leadership within 90 days and present a formal reorganization and transition plan to Council for review. The Department did not present such a plan.

On June 8th, a meeting was held with the Township, a representative from Allegheny County 911 and the Chiefs of Aspinwall, Blawnox, Fox Chapel and Sharpsburg Volunteer Fire Departments along with the Chiefs of O'Hara's own Parkview Volunteer Fire Department and Pleasant Valley Volunteer Fire Company. At this meeting, these fire professionals along with the Township's Emergency Management Coordinator, reviewed and reworked the Township fire response for the area previously served by Guyasuta. This plan has been in place since June 9th and has been working efficiently and effectively. These departments/companies remain committed to providing continued excellent fire coverage while the Township develops a new formal fire service plan.

Township Council remains open to working with Guyasuta Volunteer Fire Department if the members choose to reorganize and rebuild the department. To this end, Council will continue to offer the service of the Matrix Group, a consulting company that specializes in the emergency services sector; and also a fire advisory group formed of fire professionals from inside and outside the area.

Council encourages anyone that has concerns to contact the Township office at (412)782-1400 or to directly call or e-mail them. Contact information for each Council member is available on the Township website at http://www.ohara.pa.us/elected.asp .

Sincerely,

Township of O'Hara Council

PRESS RELEASE - Guyasuta Volunteer Fire Department

At its regular meeting on September 13, 2011, the Township of O'Hara Council voted unanimously to remove Guyasuta Volunteer Fire Department as an emergency service provider to the Township. Township Council had suspended the Department in June after Council lost faith in the Department's ability to safely and effectively provide emergency services within the Township. At the time of suspension, Council requested that the Department reorganize its leadership within 90 days and present a formal reorganization and transition plan to Council for review. The Department did not present such a plan.

Council is committed to working with Guyasuta Volunteer Fire Department if they choose to reorganize the Department. To this end, Council will continue to make available the services of the Matrix Group, a company that specializes in fire department consulting, and a fire advisory board made up of fire professionals from inside and outside the area.

O'Hara Township remains grateful for the continued support and services of Aspinwall, Blawnox, Fox Chapel, Sharpsburg and Parkview Volunteer Fire Departments and Pleasant Valley Volunteer Fire Company. These departments/companies have been providing excellent fire coverage during the 90 day suspension of Guyasuta Volunteer Fire Department and have committed to continue to provide coverage while the Township develops a new fire service plan.

PRESS RELEASE - Guyasuta Volunteer Fire Department

At its June 7, 2011 meeting, the Township of O'Hara Council took action that has resulted in the suspension of the Guyasuta Volunteer Fire Department from providing public emergency service in the Township. The suspension could be lifted if there is an acceptable reorganization of the Department and corrections to fire call assignments are made.

This decision was very difficult and was the result of a culmination of events that resulted in Council losing confidence in the leadership of the Department. The final action that caused the suspension was when Council learned that changes to the fire call assignments(called run cards) that were recommended by the Township EMA Coordinator (in 2010) to improve the safety of Township residents and local school children were not made, even though the Township was told by the Department that they were. These changes are designed to greatly improve response times to emergencies at both Fox Chapel Area High School and O'Hara Elementary, along with numerous residential structures. The changes are also required as part of the fire funding agreements the fire department signed in 2010 with the Township.

The Township is currently receiving fire coverage in Guyasuta's District from the Blawnox, Aspinwall, Fox Chapel and Sharpsburg Volunteer Fire Departments through mutual aid agreements. Coverage is also being provided by Parkview Volunteer Fire Department and Pleasant Valley Volunteer Fire Company both of whom are from O'Hara Township. It is anticipated that the Township aerial truck will be utilized by the Sharpsburg Volunteer Fire Department to respond to calls in O'Hara Township along with their own ladder truck.

Township Council will continue to work with Guyasuta Volunteer Fire Department should the Department decide to undergo reorganization and redo their fire call assignments. It is hoped that this will be a short lived suspension.

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