Friday, November 30, 2012
Municipal managers Cathy Kichline and Jack Cahalan told members of the Hellertown-Lower Saucon Chamber of Commerce Sept. 27 that local volunteer fire companies cooperate extensively with one another.
The day after Se-Wy-Co and Leithsville volunteer fire companies announced their formal merger--the first in the history of Northampton County--Hellertown Borough Manager Cathy Kichline and Lower Saucon Township Manager Jack Cahalan discussed how the Saucon Valley's four all-volunteer companies continue to cooperate to better serve local residents. In a presentation to members of the Hellertown-Lower Saucon Chamber of Commerce that focused on projects involving intermunicipal cooperation, Cahalan said necessity has been a driving force behind the movement toward fire company consolidation. Years ago, he said, many of the volunteer members of Se-Wy-Co, Steel City, Southeastern and Dewey fire companies worked shifts at Bethlehem Steel, which …
40.58129
-75.390408
Se-Wy-Co Fire Company
3621 Old Philadelphia Pike, Bethlehem, PA
/articles/officials-discuss-fire-companies-cooperation
1787841
/locations/7936635
40.57899
-75.33525
Dewey Fire Company No. 1
502 Durham St, Hellertown, PA
/articles/officials-discuss-fire-companies-cooperation
874985
/locations/7936636
40.585197
-75.277013
Southeastern Fire Company
2687 Wassergass Rd, Hellertown, PA
/articles/officials-discuss-fire-companies-cooperation
1787621
/locations/7936637
40.63127
-75.328
Steel City Volunteer Fire Company
2121 Riverside Dr, Bethlehem, PA
/articles/officials-discuss-fire-companies-cooperation
1787993
/locations/7936638
Friday, September 28, 2012
Lower Saucon Township's Se-Wy-Co and Leithsville fire companies have been merged as the Se-Wy-Co Volunteer Fire Company as of Sept. 14, according to a press release.
Although it's been discussed for some time, the merger of Lower Saucon Township's Se-Wy-Co and Leithsville volunteer fire companies is now finally official. In a press release issued Sept. 26, it was announced that the merger became official Sept. 14 and is being recognized by Pennsylvania State Fire Commissioner Edward Mann as the first such merger in the history of Northampton County. The two companies had been moving toward a merger by operating as partners in a "joint venture" since February 2011, with "both fire departments...under one chain of command, and the adminstrative duties...handled by a joint board," the release said. In the months since, several pieces of fire equipment have been sold as part of the consolidation and the …
40.58129
-75.390408
Se-Wy-Co Fire Company
3621 Old Philadelphia Pike, Bethlehem, PA
/articles/local-fire-companies-announce-formal-merger
1787841
/locations/7923329
40.55401
-75.33668
Leithsville Volunteer Fire Company
1995 Leithsville Rd, Hellertown, PA
/articles/local-fire-companies-announce-formal-merger
875005
/locations/7923330
Monday, June 11, 2012
Local sellers of Tastefully Simple and Pampered Chef products are donating proceeds from their sales this month to help the victims of the May 24 Leithsville Fire Company disaster. Facebook groups have been set up to help promote the sales.
If you're looking for ways to help contribute to the rebuilding of the Leithsville Fire Station, or to assist the family of accident victim John Muzyka, you should know that your options have expanded online. Susan Deibert, a Saucon Valley-based independent sales consultant for Tastefully Simple, has created a Facebook group for a fundraiser that will benefit both the Leithsville Building Fund and an education fund established for the teenage son of accident victim John Muzyka. "You can help by participating in this fundraiser between now and June 30," Deibert's Facebook page says. "One hundred percent of the profits will be split between the building fund and an education fund for John Muzyka's son." Orders for food items can be made on …
40.55401
-75.33668
Leithsville Volunteer Fire Company
1995 Leithsville Rd, Hellertown, PA
/articles/facebook-fundraisers-benefiting-leithsville-fire-victims
875005
/locations/7172511
Thursday, May 31, 2012
Se-Wy-Co Fire Company has established a fund for donations to help rebuild the Leithsville Fire Company. The station building was destroyed by a May 24 accident that sparked a massive fire.
Se-Wy-Co Fire Company in Lower Saucon Township has established a webpage that provides information about how to donate toward the rebuilding of the Leithsville fire station. Supporters are being directed to send donations to Se-Wy-Co Fire Company, 3621 Old Philadelphia Pike, Bethlehem, PA 18015, and to write "Leithsville Building Fund" on their checks. Se-Wy-Co volunteer Scott Krycia said in an email that the company is also "working on an online option" for donors. The station--a Route 412 landmark for decades--was destroyed on the afternoon of May 24 after a dump truck crashed into it and sparked a massive fire. Springtown, Bucks County resident John Muzyka, 56, was killed in the accident and the driver of the dump truck, Michael …
40.55401
-75.33668
Leithsville Volunteer Fire Company
1995 Leithsville Rd, Hellertown, PA
/articles/donations-being-accepted-for-leithsville-building-fund
875005
/locations/7115991
40.58129
-75.390408
Se-Wy-Co Fire Company
3621 Old Philadelphia Pike, Bethlehem, PA
/articles/donations-being-accepted-for-leithsville-building-fund
1787841
/locations/7115992
Tuesday, May 29, 2012
The family of John Muzyka, the Springtown man who was killed in Thursday's fiery accident at the Leithsville Fire Company in Lower Saucon Township, has announced that services will be held Saturday morning at Cantelmi Funeral Home in Fountain Hill.
A funeral service will be held Saturday for the Springtown, Bucks County man killed in the May 24 accident at the Leithsville Fire Company in Lower Saucon Township, according to a family source cited in an Express-Times article published Monday. John Muzyka will be remembered in a service from 9 to 11am at Cantelmi Funeral Home, 1311 Broadway, Fountain Hill. Muzyka, 56, was on his way home from work when he passed in front of the fire station at about 1pm, just as a tri-axle dump truck hauling asphalt crossed Route 412 on its way to striking the front of the building, which burst into flames. The impact of the collision killed Muzyka instantly, according to his family members, who were interviewed by the newspaper for the story. The driver…
40.60023
-75.39958
1311 Broadway, Fountain Hill, PA
/articles/services-for-accident-victim-to-be-held-saturday
/locations/7108672
Sunday, May 27, 2012
According to a family friend and a local newspaper, John Muzyka of Springtown, Bucks County, was the man killed in Thursday's fiery dump truck accident that heavily damaged the Leithsville Fire Company in Lower Saucon Township.
A family friend has reached out to Hellertown Patch on Facebook to identify the man killed in Thursday's dump truck accident in Lower Saucon Township. According to Jennifer Ziegler Maguire, the victim has been identified by the Northampton County Coroner as John Muzyka, of Springtown, Springfield Township, Bucks County. The Morning Call is also reporting that Muzyka was the victim, and that he died from "multiple blunt force trauma with or without thermal injuries" according to the coroner's office. Muzyka was 56 and a resident of Mountain Avenue, according to public records. The investigation into the accident and the massive fire it sparked at the Leithsville Fire Company is ongoing, but what is now known is that Muzyka was the occupant …
40.55401
-75.33668
Leithsville Volunteer Fire Company
1995 Leithsville Rd, Hellertown, PA
/articles/victim-identified-in-fatal-fire-station-accident
875005
/locations/7103603
Friday, May 25, 2012
The Saucon Valley was rocked Thursday by one of the worst disasters in recent memory. Share messages of support for those who responded to the tragedy and the victims themselves.
Editor's Note: This article has been updated. The disastrous fire at Lower Saucon Township's Leithsville Fire Company Thursday has been compounded by the news last night that at least one person died in the 1pm dump truck accident that sparked the blaze. As of early Friday afternoon, Route 412 south of Hellertown has been reopened to traffic, although WFMZ has reported that Pennsylvania State Police remain in the area, where they are investigating the cause of the accident. The driver of the dump truck that struck the fire station has been identified as Michael Thomas, who the Express-Times reports is an employee of William Kunsman Paving and Seal Coating of Bethlehem. Thomas--who was helped at the scene by witnesses to the accident--was …
40.55401
-75.33668
Leithsville Volunteer Fire Company
1995 Leithsville Rd, Hellertown, PA
/articles/share-messages-of-support-for-fire-victims-volunteers
875005
/locations/7095305
40.58129
-75.390408
Se-Wy-Co Fire Company
3621 Old Philadelphia Pike, Bethlehem, PA
/articles/share-messages-of-support-for-fire-victims-volunteers
1787841
/locations/7095306
Thursday, May 24, 2012
At least one person was reportedly killed when a dump truck slammed into the Leithsville Fire Company in Lower Saucon Township Thursday.
UPDATE: The dump truck driver, 42-year-old Michael Thomas, is reported to be in stable condition at Lehigh Valley Hospital. WFMZ is reporting that the person who is confirmed dead was found inside a second vehicle in the ruins of the fire station. Thursday afternoon's dump truck accident and the ensuing fire at the Leithsville Fire Company in Lower Saucon Township resulted in at least one fatality, according to an updated story published by the Express-Times tonight. Northampton County Coroner Zachary Lysek said the investigation into the incident has revealed the possibility that multiple vehicles were involved in the crash that sparked the fire, but declined further comment, the paper reported. The driver of the dump truck that crashed …
40.55401
-75.33668
Leithsville Volunteer Fire Company
1995 Leithsville Rd, Hellertown, PA
/articles/fatality-confirmed-in-fire-station-inferno
875005
/locations/7091557
A dump truck crashes into the Leithsville Fire Company, 1995 Leithsville Road, in Lower Saucon Township.
Editor's Note: This article has been updated. A breaking news alert issued at 1pm Thursday indicates that a tri-axle dump truck carrying blacktop has crashed into the three-bay Leithsville Fire Company building at 1995 Leithsville Road in Lower Saucon Township, igniting the buidling on fire. The bulletin said EMS has been requested for a burn victim at the scene, and a subsequent breaking news alert states that the fire company building is fully involved. At 1:04pm a second alarm was sounded, according to that alert. Tanker trucks are reportedly setting up at Route 412 (Leithsville Road) and Hersh Lane, which is near the fire house. The Leithsville and Se-Wy-Co fire companies recently merged; a process that is expected to be completed next…
40.55401
-75.33668
Leithsville Volunteer Fire Company
1995 Leithsville Rd, Hellertown, PA
/articles/report-dump-truck-crashes-into-leithsville-fire-company-building
875005
/locations/7088796
40.55415
-75.3373
Leithsville Rd & Hersh Ln, Hellertown, PA
/articles/report-dump-truck-crashes-into-leithsville-fire-company-building
/locations/7088797
Roger Jurczak
9:47 pm on Friday, September 28, 2012
This is a timely and wise move for the firefighters and the residents. The logistics of this consolidation, improved equipment and savings should be evident in short order. It takes a good deal of courage on the part of all participants to make such a move as there will be many who find fault. When the consolidation talks started in 2011, all 5 volunteer companies were to have been a part of the … more ›