Changes to Jim Thorpe Fire Department’s organizational structure are on the way.

Borough council voted unanimously last week to “begin the process of creating a municipal fire department.”The vote came after an hour-long executive session near the end of its monthly public meeting.“After a lengthy discussion, borough discussion feels a municipal fire department, formed by an ordinance, will address internal issues such as personnel, buildings, finances and equipment,” said Jay Miller, a councilman and volunteer firefighter, in a statement this week.Miller didn’t elaborate on any specific issues driving the council’s decision, but did say he hoped internal issues would be addressed through a “pretty specific ordinance.”“Council is looking to take a larger amount of control than in the past,” he said. Years ago, the fire companies bought equipment and turned the title over to the borough. The borough paid to insure that equipment and house it. That is going to continue to happen, but the ways of buying the equipment are going to be changing with more being put on the borough.”Currently, the Jim Thorpe Fire Department is made up of the Phoenix Hose Company and Diligent Fire Company 3 on the west side of town, and the Fairview Hose Company on the east side of town.Phoenix equipment, however, is housed at the Fairview station due to issues with the firehouse on West Broadway.Phoenix personnel noticed several cracks in the station’s floor in November 2014 and an engineer’s evaluation confirmed the structure was failing.Last year, officials said it would cost at least $115,000 just to fill the basement in for the front third of the firehouse. That cost didn’t include the area that spans the creek.“In my opinion, I would like to see us completely close the Phoenix building,” Miller said.“There has to be some more discussion on how future equipment purchases would work and how we would recognize the companies.”Deputy Fire Chief Bill Diehm said the idea of a municipal department was discussed but he wasn’t aware it would materialize so quickly.The longtime firefighter said he’s “interested to see how it plays out.”Diehm also said the idea of formally closing the Phoenix Hose Company and consolidating it with Fairview has been at the forefront of discussions.Miller said he hopes to model the fire department in much the same fashion Palmerton did when it created a municipal department in 2013.“I think we would start taking applications for firefighters,” he added.Currently, prospective firefighters join through one of the three companies. That could all change through a municipal formation.“In my understanding, I think you would apply through the borough and then be assigned that way,” Diehm said. “It could work that way with the leadership positions as well.”Membership for each department currently chooses two candidates and council decides which one is chief and assistant chief, Diehm said.“You had to be a line officer for x number of years before you could move up the ladder,” he said. ‘Now council could possibly go outside the department for the chiefs depending on the qualifications.”While Thursday’s council action got the ball rolling, Miller said it will be a number of months before the change takes effect.“There is a lot to do before we put this in play,” he said. “Our attorney is taking input from us. We want to make sure our ordinance spells everything out in its entirety.”