History / Fire Department Overview

Liberty Township Fire Department History / Overview

The Liberty Township Fire Department was organized in Liberty Township in the early 1950's by a group of residents in the Maustown area. The Board of Township Trustees placed a bond issue on the ballot for the construction of a firehouse and the purchase of a fire pumper. This station was built at 5763 Princeton-Glendale road (State Route 747), it was then further expanded in 1969 to include a meeting room and additional equipment bays in the rear. Liberty Township Fire Department Station No. 111 now houses: a 1995 Horton Ambulance, 2008 Sutphen 1500 GPM Pumper, 1984 4 wheel drive Grass Fire Unit, as well as a reserve ambulance and the original 1953 Howe 500 GPM Pumper.

Second Station

In 1974 a second fire station was built at 6957 Yankee Road. This station underwent renovation in 1999 to add a dormitory area, additional offices and an apparatus bay for the paramedic response unit. Station No. 2 currently houses: a 1994 Sutphen 1500 GPM Pumper, a 2009 Sutphen 1500 GPM Pumper, a 1999 Horton Ambulance, 1987 1550 gallon Tanker.

Third Station

In January of 2005, Station No. 113 was then built to serve as a functioning firehouse and administrative headquarters. Its firefighter, medics and EMTs serve the Southwestern quarter of Liberty Township. This station is located at 6682 Princeton-Glendale Road. Its bays house the following apparatus: 2008 4WD Paramedic Response Unit, a 1999 1000 GPM Sutphen Rescue Pumper and the 2004 110 feet Sutphen tower truck (quint).

Funding

The Liberty Township Fire Department is funded primarily by property tax levies. Additional funding is provided by "soft" billing of EMS transports. Donations and fund-raisers conducted by the Liberty Township Firefighter's Association have allowed the purchase of additional equipment over and above the budget.

Staffing

Liberty Township Fire Department is dispatched by The Butler County Sheriff's Office on the Butler County Fire Band Frequency, 154.370. Liberty Township Fire Department was staffed entirely by paid per call (volunteers who receive a small stipend per response) personnel from it's beginning through 1994. In 1994 the transition was made to that of a combination department. The staffing was augmented by the addition of a full time Fire Chief and part time Firefighter / EMTs (emergency medical technician). Staffing was further increased in 1998 when a full time Assistant Chief was hired to direct and institute the new paramedic program.

Ambulance

Ambulance service was added to the fire department's service in the summer of 1974. The level of service was increased in 1991 to that of Advanced-EMT. 1998 saw another upgrade to the Paramedic level. At the same time part-time paramedic / firefighters were placed on station 24 hours a day to man the paramedic response unit. This decreased response times dramatically.

Township Growth

Liberty Township experienced tremendous growth during the decade of the 1990s. The township trustees wanted the highest quality and most efficient emergency services for their residents possible. For this reason, they decided to hire additional full-time firefighter / paramedics. In the intervening years we have grown steadily.

Services

The Liberty Township Fire Department provides a wide array of services to its residents in addition to that of Fire Suppression and Emergency Medical Services. Among the services offered are residential fire safety inspections, CPR instruction, juvenile fire-setter counseling, and fire safety education speakers.