Elizabeth fire department merger close to complete

By CHRISTINE HAINES

chaines@yourmvi.com

The merger of Central Elizabeth Fire Company of Elizabeth and Elizabeth Township Fire Department No. 1 just needs the final approval of Allegheny County Orphans Court to be complete.

“Everything’s been done that we need to do up to this point,” said James Chabalie, the public information officer for the fire departments.  “With the court system, they’re obviously behind because of COVID. On the short end, we’re hoping it will be done in a couple of months, but the end of the year at the latest.”

While the departments work out the final financial merger, they are starting on their operational merger.

“We’ll be responding as one company,” Chabalie said. “This is something that should be seamless to us. We’ve had a good working relationship for many years and been training together.”

The merger was approved last fall by Elizabeth Township commissioners, and members of both departments voted to approve it as well. 

Mergers aren’t new to the township. In September 2019, Greenock VFD formally merged with Elizabeth Township Fire Department No. 1, and both departments had been formed by mergers years ago. Greenock had merged with Boston and Blythedale, Industry, and Victory merged to form Elizabeth Township Fire Department No. 1.

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