Upper Macungie supervisors recently met with representatives of the three township fire departments to discuss mutual concerns.

Fire Commissioner Grant Grim and Township Manager Dan Olpere also attended.

Fogelsville Fire Company expects to have its new truck in service by mid-February. This truck will replace a 4-wheel drive rescue truck and a fire truck.

Fund drives and how to raise awareness of the public on the necessity of the fund drives were discussed by the board.

Many residents, apparently, are convinced the fire companies have paid employees, not volunteers, and their taxes pay for the fire service.

As a result, many residents do not respond to the fund drives put on by the fire companies.

Also noted was the fact the fund drives result in unequal funding, which discriminates between the companies.

Raising awareness of this, and trying to solicit new volunteers, were the big discussion topics.

Fogelsville and Trexlertown fire companies have different needs than Station 56 as they are both older.

Trexlertown and Fogelsville will be celebrating their 100th anniversaries in 2016. Station 56 is only 8 years old.

A suggestion was made to establish fire districts for each company.

Calvin Fetherolf suggested the fire companies have funding districts instead.

Supervisor Jim Brunell suggested the three fire companies have a meeting to decide upon a funding plan agreeable to all and present it at the next meeting.

He also noted the overwhelming support given by the fire companies in remembrance of Supervisor Sam Ashmar.

He wondered if this cooperation could carry over to this situation and a solution be obtained.

Fogelsville Fire Company representatives said they will have a 100th anniversary banquet and, possibly, a block party to commemorate its anniversary.

They are attempting to restore their first newly purchased fire truck, a 1946 Buffalo, for the celebration, and would also like to restore the first fire station, which is underground near St. John's Church.

Trexlertown will have committees organized to work on its celebration.

Special events will be on Jan. 18, 2016 (a ceremony to remember the first destructive fire) and Jan. 24, 2016 (honoring the formal organization of the fire company) with the grand banquet on April 30, 2016.

A four-county firefighters parade is planned for July 16, 2016.

Trexlertown firefighters plan to restore their 1930 model A Ford truck in time for the celebration.

This truck had been in service for 43 years. The fire company has already received some financial commitments toward the restoration.

Trexlertown Fire company noted its 1970 fire truck will need to be replaced. They expect to replace it in 2017 with funding raised in 2015 and 2016.

A training session will take place in Indianapolis, Ind. with one member of each fire company attending, plus Fire Inspectors Peter Christ and Keith Richards and Commissioner Grim.

This event, the Fire Department Instructors Conference, will take place April 20-25. The conference highlights the latest in fire fighting technology plus firefighting safety for all fire departments.

The township has received eight proposals for the fire study. Grim and Olpere will review them and make recommendations to the board.

Standard operating guidelines were discussed and will be approved after the fire study is completed.

Brunell gave a report on the status of the command vehicle originally proposed to be shared with South Whitehall Township.

He said support originally obtained for this venture was waning and the boards decided to move in a different direction.

The committee will ask the county if they would purchase the vehicle instead.

Grant money already received could be used on other projects, Rader said.

The next meeting of these participants is scheduled for 7 p.m. on April 13.