POTTSVILLE, Pa. — History is being made in Schuylkill County.
For the first time ever two of Pottsville's oldest fire companies are consolidating.
"Both of our companies date back to 1829. we started as the Pottsville Fire Company, they started as the Schuylkill Hydroleans, over the years, morphed into the companies they are today, and now we are going to be merging the two companies together to form another new company that will better serve the citizens here," said AJ Alves, Assistant Fire Chief, Humane Fire Co. No.1.
AJ Alves is the Assistant Fire Chief at Humane Fire Company No. 1 on Third and Laurel Streets in the city.
His family has been involved with Humane for decades
He tells Newswatch 16 that Phoenix Fire Company No. 2, just a few blocks away, approached their department a few months ago to consolidate resources and manpower.
"After a company vote, we decided that this was going to be the best thing for our companies, our citizens, the future of both companies," said Alves.
This is all happening at a time when volunteer fire departments across the region are dealing with shrinking funds and volunteers.
"If the fire service is going to survive, especially the volunteer fire service, we need to be proactive about how we go about doing our business," said Mark Atkinson, Acting Mayor of Pottsville & Volunteer Firefighter with Phoenix Fire Co No. 2.
Mark Atkinson is the Acting Mayor of Pottsville; he's also been a volunteer firefighter with the Phoenix Fire Company since 1992.
He's one of the many volunteers who come from generations of firefighters, "I am a third generation firefighter, my son is a firefighter here at this firehouse as well; my youngest daughter is a junior firefighter," he said.
Phoenix will eventually close, and its vintage ladder truck will be relocated to Humane's building, which will have to be modified to fit the truck.
"The modifications for the building is going to take some time. We have to work on acquiring funding for the project," said Alves.
It will be several months before everything is official.
A new name will also be announced.
"It's an exciting time, and you know both firehouses have been here for nearly 200 years, and god willing, it will be another 200," said Atkinson.