2 New Firefighters Introduced In Warminster
WARMINSTER, PA —The township's full-time fire department staff is now at five firefighters.
At a recent Warminster Township Supervisors meeting, Fire Marshal Joe Velten introduced two new full-time firefighters who are now on duty during the weekdays.
Velten said adding Eric Asta, of Elkins Park, and township resident Brandon Go represents a 40 percent increase in firefighting coverage and will reduce turnout time when the community calls upon township fire services.
"We are excited to have them on our team and welcome them to our community," said Velten, the township's director of emergency management and services.
"This staffing model complements the volunteer firefighting forces of the Warminster Township Fire Department and the Hartsville Fire Company that have both trained and responded to fire and rescue emergencies 24 hours a day, 7 days a week in our community for the last 100 years," Velten said.
Asta worked as a volunteer firefighter with the Elkins Park Fire Company, and as a part-time firefighter with the Union Fire Company, of Bala Cynwyd, the Harmonville Fire Company of Plymouth Meeting, and the Barron Hill Fire Company of Lafayette Hill.
He is a Cheltenham High School graduate and has an associate's degree in fire science from Bucks County Community College.
Go was a township volunteer firefighter who also served with the Nottingham Fire Company of Bensalem. He also worked as a full-time Emergency Medical Technician with the Bensalem Rescue Squad.
Go is a graduate of William Tennent High School and has a bachelor's degree in business from Drexel University.
In October 2023, to address these critical daytime shortages, the township welcomed its first three career firefighters.
In September 2018, Warminster Fire Department and Hartsville Fire Company leadership joined township officials to evaluate the state of our fire service. Following months of analysis, a consulting firm presented its findings at the June 2019 Warminster Township Board of Supervisors meeting.
The study affirmed that the township benefits from two highly skilled agencies with top-notch facilities and equipment.
Both fire companies maintain financial stability and a strong partnership. Despite these strengths, the consulting firm identified four areas suggesting the need for Warminster Township to consider integrating career staff alongside volunteers.
