For the first time in over 80 years, Millcreek Township has hired career firefighters to address the shortage of volunteers. The media was invited to tour fire stations Tuesday to mark the event. Behind-the-scenes tours took place at both the West Lake and Belle Valley (Eastside Garage) firehouses. These visits align with the Millcreek Fire Department’s continued partnership with Millcreek’s volunteer fire operations. The newly hired firefighters went through a rigorous hiring process. Millcreek Township Supervisor Dan Ouellet said, “Several years ago, we identified an issue with the critical shortage of volunteers in the township, and obviously, this is the way to solve that issue. We didn’t want this issue to be driven by a tragedy.” West Lake will have three full-time staff members at the station 24/7, aiming to reduce response times and prevent tragedies.
