The Norristown Fire Department is a combination fire department consisting of 60. Pennsylvania State Certified Firefighters. These include the Fire Chief, Deputy Fire Chief, four Assistant Fire Chiefs, three Battalion Fire Chief, the Fire Marshal, 13 Career and 38 volunteer firefighters. There are approximately an additional 125 active members who support the department as probationary firefighters, engineers, divers, fire police and administrative officers and staff. In addition to firefighting, the department provides Dive Rescue, Heavy Rescue, Hospital Decontamination, and Fire Police services. The Fire Department responds to over 1200 calls each year. The department's members spend countless hours responding to these calls for service, along with many hours of training each year. The department is made up of five fire companies they are the Norristown Hose Company, Montgomery Hose Fire Company, Humane Fire Company, Fairmount Engine Company No. 2, and the Hancock Fire Company. The Fire Chief Thomas M. O’Donnell heads the department. Each company has an assistant chief that handles the firefighting and a president and other executive officers that handle administrative duties.
|
The Pennsylvania State Department of the Auditor General funds the Relief Association of Norristown through the annual distribution of the foreign fire insurance tax premium. The funds are for the relief, support and burial of firefighters who may be injured or killed, or who may be prevented from performing their usual occupation. The funds also provide support through the purchase of protective gear and equipment; and funds all training and insurance premiums. As an incentive, it also provides low interest mortgage rates for firefighters purchasing homes in Norristown.
|
The Norristown Fire Department participates in the Pennsylvania Water Rescue Accreditation Program. The purpose of this program is to identify and recognize emergency service personnel and organizations whose accomplishments in training and education meets or exceeds nationally recognized standards. The standards for emergency service organizations identify the minimum requirements for a team at a particular level of progression. An organization accredited to either of the two recognized levels will have demonstrated competency in the knowledge and skills required to perform at a particular level, and possess the necessary equipment in order to perform the level of rescue. The service that can be offered to the citizens and communities of the Commonwealth will be enhanced by the professional competency attained through this accreditation process. To date, there are 20 Pennsylvania emergency organizations accredited at one or more levels. |
