Fire

Fire Department Vehicles

Response Area

The Emmaus Borough Fire Department’s primary response area is within the Borough of Emmaus, with areas expanding for automatic and mutual aid including Upper Milford Township, Salisbury Township, Macungie Borough, Lower Macungie Township and the city of Allentown.  Other areas where our aid was requested include Upper Macungie Township and even Hellertown Borough.  

Call Volume

In 2022, the department saw an increase in call volume as the world attempts to return to normal.  The fire department saw a 12.9% increase in calls for 2022 ending the year with 1129 responses, with a 5-year increase in 2017 from 451 or 150%. This included 34 structure fire responses which represents 33% of all fire incidents for 2022.  The EFD was also giving aid to our neighboring departments 73 times in 2022 while receiving aid into the Borough 19 times.

Duties

The Department proudly serves the community in addition to being an all-hazards response department by:

  • Providing fire prevention education to the Borough’s 4 elementary schools with over 1500 students
  • Operating and maintaining its fire training facility at 101 Klines Lane, near the Compost Site
  • Conducting Swede Flashover Survival Training classes since 1992
  • Being Pennsylvania Test Site Number 7 for Fire Fighter Certification Testing
  • Providing smoke detector and carbon monoxide installations for residential dwellings

History

The Emmaus Fire Department has been in operation since 1871 and prides itself on being one of the oldest volunteer departments in the area, as well as being one of only of five municipalities in the Lehigh Valley that offer career fire protection with dedicated staff 24/7.

Until 1980, fire protection operated through three volunteer fire companies. In 1980, the Borough completed construction of the Central Fire Station on 6th Street from which all personnel and equipment are currently dispatched.

Staff

The fire department is currently staffed by two full-time career chief officers, 30 part-time career members, 4 volunteers, and one administrative assistant. During 2022, 5 new career fire personnel were brought into the department with 4 departing the department for other opportunities.  The department currently maintains a staffing of 3 personnel 24 hours a day, 7 days a week that handle roughly 95% of incidents autonomously.  The department also utilizes a “call back” for additional personnel when an incident warrants it.

Calls include fire responses, emergency medical services, rescue/extrication, hazardous materials response, and are dispatched via Lehigh County’s 911 Communications Center.

The Emmaus Fire Department’s Chief is John Price, a 43 year fire and EMS professional with over 17 years of executive leadership experience. 

Fleet

The department’s fleet of vehicles includes:

  • Two Chevrolet Tahoe Command Units
  • Spartan ERV Metro Star Pumper
  • Central States Pumper
  • HME 109-foot aerial ladder truck
  • Central States Heavy Rescue Unit
  • Chevrolet Fire Police Vehicle
  • GMC Pickup Utility Vehicle
  • Freightliner Squad Truck

Looking for more?

Additional information can be found in the yearly report or by contacting one the department directly.