Update: Other companies respond to Lawnton's fire calls

By BARBARA MILLER and BECKY METRICK

A Swatara Township fire company is suspended and no longer responding to calls after an investigation into reports that some members were being subjected to racial slurs, harassment and bullying.

Director of Fire Services Mike Ibberson said the Lawnton Fire Company was taken out of service on May 31. It is prohibited from responding to calls or participating in any EMS operations in Swatara Township until further notice.

Although a complaint of bullying was the catalyst for the suspension, Ibberson said there have been other issues with the fire company for months, such as lack of trained staff and failure to respond to numerous calls. The company had dwindled to about 10 active members in recent years, Ibberson said.

Ibberson made the decision to suspend the company with the approval of township commissioners.

"The things that were taking place, from what I'm told -- that's not tolerable," Township Manager Jim Fosselman said.

What action is taken next may depend on the outcome of an investigation, now underway, by a committee appointed by the Swatara Township Fire/Rescue Services Advisory Board. Ibberson said the investigation is expected to be completed soon.

The committee has concluded that fire company officials were aware of the harassment and bullying of some members, and that matter has been referred to the Swatara Township Police Department, Ibberson said.

One victim of the harassment indicated he couldn't stay a member of the fire company given the circumstances and was offered an opportunity to volunteer with other township fire companies, Ibberson said.

"Swatara Township cannot tolerate improper or illegal conduct by any of the members of the volunteer fire companies that serve the township," Ibberson said. "It is up to each individual volunteer fire company to police their own members to ensure that they follow the reasonable rules and regulations for operating within the township and that they conduct themselves in a professional manner."

The suspension of the company was a "reasonable response" to the reported harassment, Ibberson said, as well as the "extensiveness of the recent problems at Lawnton."

Other problems, said Ibberson, involve the lack of an adequate number of personnel to respond to alarms. There also were multiple personnel issues, such as a member of the company resigning in November 2017 after using racial slurs against another member, and the vice president resigning at the request of the deputy fire chief after the vice president and a trustee asked the current fire chief to resign in light of the "current state of affairs" with the company.

Ibberson clarified there have been no allegations and no indication of misappropriation or misuse of taxpayer funds.

"It wasn't the fault of the chief," Fosselman said. "When people don't listen -- an employee you can terminate -- but it's different when you're a volunteer organization," he said.

Fosselman said the fire advisory committee's recommendation is expected soon. "It's an issue that can't be put off. We have to get on with taking care of the residents of the township," he said.

Calls in the Lawnton area are being covered by the township's Rutherford and Swatara stations, and Paxtang if necessary, Fosselman said.

There has been no negative impact on the remaining fire companies' ability to respond to emergencies, and no delay in response times, Ibberson said.

Some of the Lawton company's equipment, which is owned by Swatara Township, was transferred to the Swatara station several months ago, after the Lawton company's own members began discussing ceasing operations back in December, Ibberson said.

At the time, a motion to cease operations did not pass, but the fire chief did agree with it.

Instead, several specialty pieces of equipment like the ladder truck and equipment used for heavy rescue operations were moved to the Swatara Station, and a single engine was allocated to the Lawnton Fire Company.

"Fortunately, this type of alleged misconduct is well outside the norm. The vast majority of volunteer firefighters in our township are caring, compassionate, and respectful to each other and to the citizens they serve," Ibberson said. "That is why the township provides significant financial and administrative support for them and why this type of improper conduct must be dealt with swiftly and properly so as not to tarnish our excellent reputation in the eyes of our customers -- the taxpayers and visitors of Swatara Township."

It was the single engine that was removed from the station once the company was taken out of service.

Swatara Township has five fire stations, including Lawnton and Bressler Friendship. The others are Chambers Hill, Rutherford and Swatara Township Volunteer fire companies.