Two of Schuylkill Township’s three fire companies are discussing plans to merge in the near future, a subject discussed at Monday’s meeting of the Schuylkill Township supervisors.

Members of the Brockton Fire Company and Mary D Volunteer Fire Company have been talking about combining operations for about six months. The Tuscarora Fire Company also provides fire service to the township.

The proposed merger was on the meeting agenda due to the requirement for the township to approve a letter of intent to the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development on behalf of both fire companies, who can receive assistance from DCED in the merger process.

Representing the fire companies at the meeting were Brockton secretary Mark J. Bassler and Mary D fire Chief Matthew J. Rudy.

Supervisor Vice Chairman Charles Hosler read a letter from both fire companies stating that they have “decided to be in formal discussions for a merger and combination of our two fire companies. Our first step is for the board of supervisors to approve the request for assistance by submission of a letter of intent.”

“The fire companies can’t request this. It has to come from the municipality,” Hosler said. “This letter of intent is submitted to the Governor’s Center for Local Government Services to request technical assistance. By submitting this request, the municipality agrees to cooperate. The governing body must approve this request for assistance by motion prior to submission. No resolution is required.”

The Governor’s Center for Local Government Services provides technical and financial assistance to support Emergency Service Partnerships, including mergers and consolidations, within the fire and emergency services community, according to DCED’s Regional Fire and Emergency Services website.

In the case of a merger, the state allows for any grant funds that would have gone to either or both companies to be received by the merged fire company for a 10-year period.

Supervisors’ Chairman Charles Fayash motioned to approve the letter of intent, seconded by Supervisor Frank Fabrizio. The vote was unanimous.

After the meeting, Bassler and Rudy spoke on the merger discussions.

“We’ve been kicking it around for a couple of years, but in the last six months we realized we should do it,” Bassler said.

Each fire company has about 30 active members.

“There has been a large change over the years,” Bassler said, noting the situation with most fire companies in the declining number of volunteers.

The Brockton company has one firetruck, a 2010 KME, and the Mary D company has two trucks, a 2006 HME/4 Guys and 2000 Ford/4 Guys.

“The main thing (for a merger) I believe is response, getting off the floor to answer alarms,” Bassler said.

“And the bonus would be that it would be cheaper that we wouldn’t have to maintain two buildings and insurance would be less,” Rudy said. “That’s the economic aspect of it, but the main thing is to have more people on a truck to respond.”

While no firm decisions have been made, the Mary D fire station would be used in a merger since it is large enough for three trucks.

This is the second discussion about a merger in Schuylkill County. In Rush Township, the Hometown Fire Company and Quakake Volunteer Fire Company could be consolidated into one.

Township supervisors at a special meeting last month discussed the consolidation of the two fire companies by the start of next year.

Rush supervisors said they plan to meet again with the fire companies the week of this month’s regularly scheduled meeting.