Slatington Borough Council replaced its volunteer fire chief Monday amid concerns for public safety from neighboring fire companies.

The former chief, Austin Berger, who served as Slatington’s fire chief since January 2022, said those concerns were unfounded, but council still acted to replace him.

Since Monday, a fire captain resigned in support of the former chief, and other fire company members could soon follow.

Council appointed Ronald Hausman, a former fire chief and current emergency management coordinator, to replace Berger, said borough manager Dan Stevens.

Stevens said he could not comment on the change, saying it was a personnel matter. He also would not say if there were issues or discussions regarding the fire department before the move.

Fire chiefs from Friedens, Emerald, Slatedale and Walnutport fire companies signed a letter to Slatington Borough Council dated Aug. 1 expressing their concern regarding current leadership in the borough fire department, and their continued participation in mutual aid to the borough.

The fire department had inexperienced leadership, lack of trained personnel and inadequate response times, the chiefs said in the letter. The matter has been brought before council previously, but fell “on deaf ears,” the letter said.

“Our greatest concern and ultimate fear is that firefighters are going to die,” the letter states.

The chiefs further said their membership has created morale issues among the mutual aid departments, and members voiced a lack of interest in aiding the borough due to the way they are treated and a fear for their safety.

The chiefs requested to meet in executive session to discuss a final solution regarding mutual aid to the borough.

Borough council met in executive session Monday night from 8:15 to 10:40 p.m., discussing personnel, real estate and legal matters, Stevens said. Their decision to replace Berger came after the lengthy closed door session.

Since council’s action Monday, Slatington Fire Captain Justin Frable resigned, and others have threatened to resign as well.

Berger refutes the other chiefs’ claims regarding inexperienced leadership and lack of training, as he and other officers had the same training or better as the other chiefs.

The Slatington Fire Department has many young members and officers, but still retains many older, experienced firefighters, making for a well-rounded department, Berger said.

However, perception played a role, along with a clash of personalities and a misunderstanding regarding new polices the department adopted just before 2022, Berger said.

Putting new policies into action at fire scenes ruffled feathers of some in neighboring departments, leading to Berger reaching out to the other chiefs, he said.

Berger advised the chiefs of the new policies, and asked them to follow the department’s rules when responding into the borough, and his members would do the same and abide by their rules when assisting in their jurisdiction.

Berger did meet with council in executive session Monday, but believes council had already made up its mind. He learned that three of the chiefs did meet with council in executive session on Aug. 8, before his removal.

He does not know about his future with the Slatington Fire Department now, as he has been unable to touch base with Hausman. He said he would like to continue.

Others, however, have resigned like Frable, and others, including the fire marshal, Dean Heffelfinger, have considering leaving, Berger said.

Members from other fire companies have also stepped away after learning about their chiefs’ action without their membership’s knowledge or consent, Berger said.

“I’ve gotten overwhelming support from my department and members in other departments,” he said.