Tony Blackwell visited with the Northwestern Lehigh Emergency Services Steering Committee Jan. 29 to discuss insurance options available for the four fire companies in the Northwestern Lehigh area.

The committee had been organized to determine if there would be any savings if all four relief associations combined their members under one policy.

According to Blackwell, as they share a common response area, they could incorporate under one policy containing accident and sickness coverage.

He would try to equalize the benefits by quoting at the highest level. All trucks, equipment and the fire stations would be covered under a different policy.

Generally, he said a 7 percent to 15 percent savings could be realized.

These policies would be above and beyond the workmens compensation plan and would provide additional coverage.

Currently, General, the insurance company Blackwell represents, has coverage for all fire departments in Northwestern except Germansville.

All active members would be covered including firefighters, kitchen help, servers, cooks, etc. when working at a fire, traffic accident or any other fire company function.

Randy Metzger, representing Germansville Fire Company, will go back to his relief association and discuss the matter with them. Blackwell needs all four policies to compare so he can bring a quote at the April meeting.

He also volunteered to offer a workmens compensation seminar to those interested. He needs a minimum of 20 people.

A tentative time and date of 6:30 p.m. April 21 at the Germansville Fire Company was set.

The recruitment committee report was given by Metzger.

He said as the firefighter games were very popular during last August's Night in the Country celebration, an area could be set up at the next Night in the Country to recruit new members.

Metzger also would like to have a program at Northwestern Lehigh High School.

He will check with the school's emergency response management team to see if anything could be done in cooperation with the fire companies.

Metzger also gave the Germansville Fire Company report. The spill trailer is getting its fine tuning and will be totally operational.

This was done completely with grant money. He thanked Heidelberg Township supervisors for their help in the recent financial crisis.

Supervisor David Fink said the fire tax would bring in about $100,000, which would be used solely for the fire company; not for the social hall.

Fire Chief Troy Christman reported Lynnport's utility vehicle is ready to go. The fire company is looking for a trailer to haul the vehicle.

He also reported the fire company applied for a FEMA grant to buy new Scott air packs.

New Tripoli's brush truck is out of service for the winter, Fire Chief Peter Christ reported, adding it will be ready, though, for spring.

Several classes are planned, including first aid on Feb. 17; rapid intervention on Feb. 24; Safety and Survival on March 17, 24 and 29; advanced rapid intervention on April 12 and 13. All classes start at 6:30 p.m. A water rescue class will be held at Lynnport March 3.

Weisenberg Fire Chief Scott Freeman said his company's new fire truck had been ordered. Delivery should be sometime in September or October.

Anyone interested in volunteering with one of the Northwestern fire companies should call New Tripoli at 610-298-8174; Lynnport at 610-298-2970; Weisenberg at 484-504-5100 or Germansville at 610-767-7757.

Leave a message and someone will return the call.

The next committee meeting is schedule for April 16 at the Lynnport Fire Company