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Easttown Township Supervisor Candidate Question: What is the single most important issue facing Easttown Township? Candidates Respond

October 29, 2019

On November 5, 2019, Easttown residents will be voting for two Easttown Township Supervisors. The following is a list of the supervisor candidates:

Easttown Township Supervisor Candidates

Beth D’Antonio (D)
Alessandra Nicolas (R)
Karl Romberger (R) Incumbent
Michael Wacey (D)

The candidates were asked, “In your opinion, what is the single most important issue facing Easttown Township; and what in your background, experience or education prepares you to help with this specific issue?” I appreciate their willingness to respond quickly and hope that voters will find the information helpful in making their supervisor voting decisions. The responses follow (in alphabetical order by last name):

Beth D’Antonio Response:

Easttown Township is at a very exciting point in history, with unprecedented growth throughout Chester County. I believe the single most important issue facing Easttown is how our township officials and their appointees ensure that opportunities for growth respect the priorities of the citizens. We are fortunate enough to live in a highly desirable township with an incredible quality of life and vibrant and active community. As outlined in the comprehensive plan the responsibility of the supervisors is to ensure the vision of responsible measured growth that improves upon our existing responsive government services with transparency and put the needs of the community first. I am an Easttown native, small business owner, operations executive, mother of two elementary school age children, and have a deep understanding and investment in the responsible growth of our township. I have over 20 years of experience managing multimillion dollars budgets, providing transparent leading edge operational solutions and innovations in infrastructure. I am adept at building meaningful relationships and synergies across stakeholders and have a passion for my home and neighbors. I am a dedicated volunteer and servant leader in the community and look forward to collaborating and giving a voice to all Easttown residents.

Alessandra Nicolas Response:

For the last 7 years, I have had the joy of volunteering my time with Easttown Township on various Committees and Boards focused on financial and civic matters. Throughout those years, I have had the privilege of seeing several issues of importance to the Residents of our community. At the moment, I see the convergence of multiple interrelated matters arriving at the doorstep of the Board of Supervisors.

As I have spent time talking to many Residents, what I have heard to be most important can be summarized in the following 5 areas;

Fiscal Responsibility

Increased Transparency

Responsible Zoning

Collaboration between Township and School Board

Ensuring Funding for Fire/EMS

As a Resident, Mother, Daughter, Wife, Friend, Neighbor, Accountant, Finance Exec, Landlord, Easttown Library Trustee, Easttown Citizens Advisory Committee Member, Hilltop House Committee Chair, Village of Berwyn Parking Study Member, I have devoted a large portion of my charitable time working on issues and projects that matter to our Township and Community. My goal is to continue to listen to the needs, wants and ideas of the Residents that make up our wonderful Township.

Karl Romberger Response:

We need to be able to talk to each other. We can’t make lasting, impactful, positive change any other way. The issue is about getting it done.

A Supervisor needs to develop strong, community-supported consensus on the way forward. The current major zoning and land development initiatives are prime examples. Reasonable minds can meet about the scope, size, and pace of change. If we don’t come to agreement, whatever we do today will be undone tomorrow.

I spent an entire professional career listening to competing concerns, knowing the law that controls, and either finding a solution or making the case for why the result should favor a position. There’s more right ways than one to a solution.

I’ve been a Supervisor for two years. The recent Devereux conditional use dispute is an example of my quiet leadership. Hearing about new facts at a Board meeting, I suggested the zoning officer needed to reconsider the conditional use. That solved a major issue for neighbors, without going to court.

Michael Wasey Response:

Easttown is a great place to live and raise a family. Lately, we have had very strong community concern over development in Devon, development in Berwyn, and the upcoming use of the Devereaux facility. The root cause of these becoming major issues is a lack of transparency and a focus on doing the minimum required by our current board of supervisors.

My background in consulting to Fortune 500 companies has set me up to address this issue. I work with the leaders of major companies to bring their interactions with suppliers, customers, and other partners into the 21st century. This involves leveraging technology to make it possible to interact whenever, wherever, and however they want. This results in transparency and a focus on the partner’s needs.

The citizens of Easttown deserve the same. Some examples are:

If a citizen cannot get to the supervisor meeting, it should be broadcast.

If a citizen is busy during a township meeting, they should be able to see it on YouTube.

Notices should not just go to the minimum required but should be available to everyone.

We live in a great township, but it can be better.

Tredyffrin Township Supervisor Candidate Question #2: How to Fund Fire & Emergency Medical Services (EMS)

October 23, 2019

2 Comments

List of candidates running for Tredyffrin Township Board of Supervisors – voters will select one district supervisor from the East, one district supervisor from the West and two At-Large supervisors. See Question #2 and the candidate responses below.

DISTRICT SUPERVISOR 1st DISTRICT (EAST) CANDIDATES
Julie Gosse (D)
Raffi Terzian (R)

TOWNSHIP SUPERVISOR AT-LARGE CANDIDATES
Mark Freed (D)
Sharon Humble (D)
Gina Mazzulla (R)
Liz Mercogliano (R)

DISTRICT SUPERVISOR 3rd DISTRICT (WEST) CANDIDATES
K. S. Bhaskar (D)
Peter DiLullo (R)
____________________________________________________________

2. The Fire Companies that serve our township are facing declining financial reserves, increasing expenses and staffing shortfalls which directly impact its ability to provide essential fire, rescue and emergency medical services to the community. As a supervisor, how would you improve the situation for our volunteer fire companies – please be specific.

K. S. Bhaskar Response:
As firefighting and emergency medical services are complex jobs requiring substantial training, career professionals are necessarily a significant part of our first responder force, like our police. In my discussions with voters, I find that many are not aware that fire companies are separate 501(c)(3) entities that raise funds from individuals as well as from the township. Most individuals are unaware that the donations they make – if they make any – are wholly inadequate. I would start by better educating our voters, to help decide what long term solution(s) might work. Our fire companies and township will be key participants in the process. For example, should we stay with the current model, or should we bring emergency services under the purview of the township? If voters pay more for more professional emergency services, will they also seek the increased accountability that goes with increased cost?

Peter DiLullo Response:
The safety of our township residents is paramount and our local fire companies need to be supported in order to provide the response times and service that we expect in Tredyffrin. These companies face headwinds including an aging population, dwindling volunteer base, several new assisted living facilities, and escalating equipment cost. The Board of Supervisors needs to be transparent with residents on the issue and provide the support necessary to keep our residents safe.

Mark Freed Response:
As supervisors we need to assure that we have fire companies that can properly serve our residents, and that the fire companies have the funding and other resources they need to do so. Since I joined the Board in 2014, Township combined cash contributions to Berwyn Fire Company and Paoli Fire Company have increased more than 70%. Most recently, as a member of the Tredyffrin and Easttown Joint Emergency Services Plan Committee, I supported funding Berwyn Fire Company’s new Old Forge Crossing substation to help improve the fire company’s response times in Chesterbrook, Glenhardie and other surrounding areas. I am also supporting the funding of Paoli Fire Company’s new Advanced Life Support (ALS) services. We must continue to help our fire companies obtain sustainable funding sources and create incentives to increase its volunteers, by working with state, county and other municipal governments, as well as the fire companies themselves.

Julie Gosse Response:
I propose taking a two-pronged approach to improving our fire and emergency services: (1) align funding with utilization and a changing volunteer/career professional makeup and (2) improve our fire infrastructure to reflect our current population and service needs. First, the utilization and staffing of volunteer fire companies continue to shift. We, as a township, need to keep pace. To this end, I have collected data from our fire companies and have started building and refining objective models for prudent township funding, with the goal of providing sustainable support that our fire companies can count on. Second, our current fire/EMS infrastructure does not optimally serve our residents. Fire stations were built on the Rt. 30 corridor based on the population decades ago, which has changed dramatically with Chesterbrook and other developments. I will work with our fire companies to develop a strategic plan to rethink our fire/EMS infrastructure.

Sharon Humble Response:
The PA Auditor General’s recent release to Tredyffrin volunteer fire companies of a large amount of funding from a 2% tax on fire insurance premiums was a good start for improving our VFRAs’ standing. Ambulance billing accounts for approximately 37% of Berwyn Fire Co’s income sources, yet many of these receivables are never paid by the service beneficiaries. Tredyffrin’s Fire Companies should contract with reputable collections attorneys who work on a contingency basis to collect these unpaid receivables. Tredyffrin should work with State legislators to require insurance companies to pay, directly to the Fire Companies, the fees for responding ambulance service when they treat a patient at the scene, including in cases in which the patient declines transport to a hospital. Township contributions to its Fire Companies should be increased, and I’d seek greater corporate sponsorship, including “naming rights” on fire trucks.

Gina Mazzulla Response:
As a former EMT and current business member of the Berwyn Fire Company, and having served on the VRA board at GFAC (West Chester), I see first-hand the changing reality from (unpaid) volunteer service to a (paid) professional services business, akin to the police department.

I am not suggesting that fire companies become “employees” of the township but I am suggesting that they are funded in a similar manner with fire company leadership involved in the budgeting process to the same degree as other department heads. If existing dollars cannot be “found”, I am not opposed to implementing a specific and reasonable fee to ensure for long-term provision of capital equipment, life-saving technologies, and skilled paramedic professionals to serve our community.

One reason for a decline in the number of volunteers is the cost of living in Tredyffrin, forcing many who grew up in the fire service to move away for more affordable housing. I propose a township “tax relief” benefit for verified volunteer fire and EMS personnel as a measure of support to encourage increased and sustained volunteerism.

Liz Mercogliano Response:
The solution for fire and rescue lies in the consolidation of resources and an optional flat fee for fire and rescue included in the township tax bill. There should be an exception for hardship. The consolidation and merger of some services can be approved through the Board of Trustees for Paoli, Radnor and Berwyn Fire and the local townships.

Since the PA State law mandates the emergency services, it is not an option to NOT fund fire and rescue. And, since there is a larger population and an aging population the services are needed. As per best practices, the annual budget review can track revenue sources and deficits and point to trends. Here are several revenue sources that help but do not close the gap:
• The Pennsylvania State Firefighter Insurance fund
• Fundraisers
• Emergency medical service billing for ambulance services
• Community donations

These sources are just not enough to prevent deficits and a possibility of closing a single fire company. I vote for more State funding by earmarking specific need, grants and a flat fee.

Raffi Terzian Response:
We are so fortunate to have such a dedicated group of volunteers and career Fire and EMS personnel who serve our community. Public safety should be a top priority and the services provided by the Radnor, Berwyn and Paoli Fire Companies must be viewed as an essential service by our community and the Board of Supervisors. In the short-term, budget planning must include a focus on funding this essential service. In addition, a plan must be established to ensure the solvency of these organizations in the long-term.

As a Board Certified Emergency Physician, I have first-hand experience working with EMS systems and providers directly. I am aware and have an understanding of the billing challenges that our fire companies face. The Board of Supervisors should lead the way in creating a comprehensive plan that better coordinates services and promotes dialogue and cooperation among our fire companies.

How many assisted living facilities does Tredyffrin Township need/want? Is the idea “build it and they will come”?

December 17, 2018

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Another proposal for an assisted living facility in Tredyffrin Township is on the Planning Commission agenda for Thursday, December 20 – this time its Russell Road in Paoli.

My first thought is how many assisted living facilities is enough? For many years, the township only had one – Highgate at Paoli Point with 80 apartments.

Then came the community battle over the long-abandoned Jimmy Duffy property on Lancaster Avenue in Berwyn and the subsequent construction of Daylesford Crossing, a 3-story assisted living facility by Sage Senior Living which opened August 2015 with 93 apartments.

The approval for the Daylesford Crossing project was a long, drawn out process in 2012 which required a text amendment to zoning to permit senior living facilities as a by-right use in C-1 (commercial) zoning. It was argued at the time that the zoning change to C-1 was ‘spot-zoning’ to accommodate this specific project. Others, including myself, questioned what this change would mean for future C-1 development in the township.

Meeting with success with the development of Daylesford Crossing, Sage Senior Living is building Echo Lake at Atwater in the western part of Tredyffrin Township. Echo Lake’s senior living is a massive 3-story, 250-apartment property with 160 independent living apartments and 90 assisted living and memory care apartments, set to open in January 2019.

And then we have under construction in Devon (close to Whole Foods) Brightview Senior Living, the gigantic 450+ ft. long, five-story, 55-ft high building totally 181,000 sq. ft. on E. Conestoga. (As a reference point, Daylesford Crossing on Lancaster Ave. is approx. 80,000 sq. ft.). When completed Brightview Senior Living will have 196 beds.

During the last six years, the township has grown from one assisted living facility (Highgate at Paoli Pointe) to four – Daylesford Crossing, Echo Lake and under construction Brightview. Developers are flocking to the township with their assisted living proposals. Earlier this year, the township Planning Commissioners reviewed an assisted living facility proposal for the Aquilante Catering property on Cassatt Road. The 300 bed project was met with an organized effort of neighbor opposition and the plans appear to have been withdrawn.

Now, this coming week finds another proposed assisted living facility in front of the Planning Commission. Solera Senior Living has submitted a preliminary land development project for Russell Road in Paoli. Zoned C-1, the applicant wishes to demolish two existing office buildings (Synthes), consolidate three separate parcels and construct a 3-story, 116 bed assisted living facility. For those that may not know – Russell Road connects to Maple and Old Lancaster Avenues. Another developer seeking to build an assisted living facility in the township as a ‘by-right’ use in C-1 zoning.

Unlike the location of Daylesford Crossing on 4-lane Lancaster Avenue, Russell Road is a narrow residential street in Paoli. The proposed 3-story assisted living facility on Russell Road would be at higher elevation than the residential homes which sit in the valley below the planned construction.

Russell Road has no curbing and its resident’s battle major stormwater issues every time its rains – I cannot imagine how a large assisted living building and the associated additional stormwater runoff could possibly be managed. In addition to stormwater problems, placing a massive assisted living facility in the middle of this community is going to threaten the quality of life for the neighborhood, change its character and increase traffic.

There are many reasons that I do not support an assisted living facility at the Russell Road location but an obvious question should also be asked – does the township really need another one of these facilities? Daylesford Crossing is not fully occupied and it opened over 3 years ago – plus Echo Lake opens next month and presumably Brightview sometime in 2019. When is enough – enough? Or is it a case of “build it, and they will come”?

Another factor that needs to be considered with these proposed redevelopment projects (and sadly one that is often overlooked) is our local volunteer fire companies and emergency responders. Already burdened with staffing and funding needs, how are they supposed to keep up the increased demands of these assisted living facilities? Is Paoli Fire Company and Berwyn Fire Company notified when these types of land development proposals are under consideration?

Here’s the agenda for the Planning Commission meeting on Thursday, December 20, 7 PM at the township building.

PA volunteer firefighters can now ease funding woes by soliciting drivers on the side of the road – Is this what we want for our first responders in Tredyffrin?

November 16, 2015

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PA Governor Wolf signed new legislation last week (Act 57) which allows first responders to solicit donations at stop signs or traffic signals. Fire companies will need to get written permission from the local municipality and the solicitations are to drivers are limited to controlled intersections (stop signs or traffic signals) and are required to have the necessary liability insurance. The new law goes into effect within 60 days.

This new fundraising legislation may be a useful tool for some volunteer fire companies in Pennsylvania; particularly rural or areas suffering severe economic issues. But the question for Tredyffrin residents is whether we want to see our volunteer firefighters soliciting drivers on the side of the road as a way to fill budget gaps.

Representatives from fire companies (Berwyn, Paoli and Radnor) that serve Tredyffrin Township residents have repeatedly voiced concern about the increasing demand for fire and rescue services and the lack of reliable funding. As a result, T-E Fire Companies Funding Coalition comprised of fire companies from Berwyn, Paoli, Radnor and Malvern was formed with a mission to work with government officials to provide sustainable and adequate funding.

The ongoing need for recruitment and retention of volunteer first responders remains a concern. The time demands for volunteers are so severe, both fire-related and otherwise. Because people are spending more time on their ‘day’ jobs – there’s just less discretionary time to do anything else, including being a volunteer. For those who do manage to carve out time for serving as a volunteer firefighter, they want that time to be directed towards firefighting responsibilities not used for fundraising.

The cost to maintain a fire company; its building, equipment, training – continues to increase, with the cost of a new fire truck running in the tens of thousands of dollars. With the growth of both residential and commercial development in the area, the demand for fire and emergency service also continues to escalate.

According to the Berwyn Fire Company, less than 25 percent of fire service funding comes from the government. If the fire companies shuttered its doors, the township would still be responsible for providing fire protection. The old formula is no longer working … there is a need for sustainable funding.

Tis the season for budget discussion, including fire department funding – the Board of Supervisors meeting at 7 PM tongiht includes the ‘2016 Preliminary Budget and on Thursday, November 19, 10 AM – 12 PM, the public is invited to attend the Budget Open House at the township building.

Our volunteer firefighters should not be forced to close budget gaps with car washes, turkey raffles, spaghetti dinners or soliciting drivers on the side of the road. These young men and women need to know they can count on our elected officials to provide adequate and sustainable funding.

Substance Abuse Discussion Continues — Berwyn Fire Company EMS Captain weighs in

July 27, 2015

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Continuing the substance abuse discussion, Berwyn Fire Company EMS Capt. Michael Baskin provides background about Narcan and its use in heroin overdose situations. Important contact information is provided at the end of his remarks.

As a resident, it is reassuring to know that the local fire company and police department personnel are trained and equipped to handle drug abuse situations. Discussions about drugs and their consequences are extremely important — perhaps a community forum with the school administration, police department, fire company, parents and residents.

Pattye,
Thank you for bringing some of these concepts to the forefront of your community readers.

Naloxone, also known as Narcan, is a medication used in opioid overdoses to counteract life-threatening depression of the central nervous system and respiratory system. If administered early enough, an overdose victim will begin to get a respiratory drive back, and shortly after become alert and aware. Naloxone only works if a person has opioids in their system; the medication has no effect if opioids are absent. There are many drugs that people overdose on that Narcan has no effect on. It is a temporary drug that wears off in 20-90 minutes and therefore anyone who received this drug needs to get to advanced care as the effects of the opioid may return after Narcan wears off.

As was noted, Tredyffrin police have been carrying Narcan for a little while now and have already administered it successfully. Berwyn, Radnor and Malvern fire company paramedics (the 3 primary paramedic providers to T/E) and other services have had Narcan as Advanced Life Support (ALS) providers for decades. As of July 1st, 2015 the Department of Health has allowed for Basic Life Support (BLS) to have access to Narcan in addition to the ALS. Departments across the Commonwealth are going through training now.

From a community approach perspective, the T/E community is well covered with Narcan access in an emergency. In extreme situations, providing rescue breathing and/or CPR to an overdose victim who is not breathing will provide needed oxygen prior to emergency services arriving. The ideal community focus needs to be preventing the need to ever use Narcan. Community, family and professional help should be available to anyone who needs it. Accepting that our community is not immune to these problems is a very big start.

Community education of drug, alcohol, mental illness and suicide prevention is a tremendous help. Acceptance of those who have these problems as a community is what leads us to success. By isolating, hiding, alienating or ignoring people who need guidance, we hurt rather then help this goal.

Here are some useful local numbers:
The Chester County Drug & Alcohol Hotline: 610-344-6620.
Crisis Counseling: 610-280-3270
Chester County Suicide Prevention: 610-344-6265

These numbers are just as much for someone searching for help personally as they are for someone concerned about another.

Respectfully,
Michael S Baskin
EMS Captain, Berwyn Fire Co

Easttown Township meets the 2015 financial request of Berwyn Fire Company – Will Tredyffrin supervisors step up to the plate?

December 7, 2014

51 Comments

Depending on where residents live in Tredyffrin Township, your fire and emergency medical services is provided by one of three fire companies – Radnor, Berwyn or Paoli.

In their 2015 budget presentation to the supervisors of Tredyffrin and Easttown Townships, the Berwyn Fire Company asked for $50K in extra funding from each township to fill staffing coverage gaps. Citing an increase in service calls, the fire company asked for the additional contribution to hire a full-time employee to ensure adequate staffing levels. According to the fire company, the requested funding is to address problems with simultaneous EMS incidents and for lower volunteer turnout situations for fire and EMS calls. (Click here for Berwyn Fire Company’s budget presentation).

The Easttown Board of Supervisors heard Berwyn’s appeal and delivered the additional $50K funding in their proposed 2015 budget for the fire company. Actually, the Easttown supervisors took it a step further than requested – the township officials are looking at ways to provide ongoing sustainable funding to allow the Berwyn Fire Company to better plan for future needs.

Unfortunately, for the Berwyn Fire Company, the elected officials of Tredyffrin Township did not respond similarly to their funding request as the Easttown Township supervisors. Tredyffrin Township’s preliminary 2015 budget indicates an increase of $5,670 in funding to the Berwyn Fire Company, falling far short of the fire company’s $50,000 request. Interestingly, Paoli Fire Company receives $2,700 additional funding for 2015 whereas Radnor Fire Company is slated to receive no increase in funding from Tredyffrin Township. It should be noted that Radnor Fire Company receives an annual contribution of only $23,700 from Tredyffrin Township, … yet, Radnor Fire Company is the primary Fire/EMS provider to the Panhandle residents of Tredyffrin Township.

For the sake of fairness, and to avoid ill will among the three fire companies, it would seem that each service provider should receive a comparable annual percentage increase in funding.

In their 2015 budget presentation, Berwyn Fire Company detailed their goals and needs, which include:

• Recruitment and retention of volunteers,
• Construction of a new fire station to replace the current 1929 building,
• Possible construction of a sub-station to better service Chesterbrook and Glenhardie areas of township and
• Need to ensure adequate paid staffing around the clock.

The Berwyn Fire Company makes the case on their website, (www.berwynfireco.org) that without the fire company volunteers, it would cost Tredyffrin and Easttown taxpayers, “an estimated $1.8 million in salaries and benefits” to staff just one fire engine and one ambulance around the clock. Plus, this $1.8 million figure “does not include building, apparatus, operating and other costs associated with operating a fully paid fire/EMS department.” To date in 2014, the Berwyn Fire Company has responded to 845 fire calls and 2,045 emergency service calls.

The Berwyn Fire Company is nationally recognized for its high standard of service and professionalism. See information below from the Commonwealth’s Fire Commissioner regarding Berwyn Fire Company:

In their budget presentations to Tredyffrin and Easttown supervisors, in addition to increased call volume, Berwyn Fire Company cited increase in residential structures, increase in commercial structures, and increase in volunteer and paid staffing needs, need for fire inspection, fire and life-safety planning needs as additional funding requirements. Although the community is glad to see new development and redevelopment projects, it should be acknowledged that these new projects increase pressure on the fire companies to meet the needs.

Case in point – the construction of the much-debated assisted living project, Daylesford Crossing on Route 30 in Daylesford is well underway. The 78-unit personal care apartments and specialized dementia care suites is set to open in the summer. Berwyn Fire Company will be responsible for all the advanced life support calls at Daylesford Crossing. (Paoli Fire Company will respond to the fire calls).

To show support for the Berwyn Fire Company and their request for additional funding to ensure adequate staffing levels for fire and EMS responses, please consider contacting Tredyffrin Township’s Board of Supervisors at bos@tredyffrin.org. If you prefer, you can contact the supervisors individually at:

• Michael C. Heaberg, Chairperson mheaberg@tredyffrin.org
• Kristen M. Mayock, Vice-Chairperson kmayock@tredyffrin.org
• Paul Olson, District 1 Supervisor polson@tredyffrin.org
• Evelyn ‘EJ’ Richter, District 2 Supervisor erichter@tredyffrin.org
• John P. DiBuonaventuro, District 3 Supervisor jdibuonaventuro@tredyffrin.org
• Murph Wysocki, At-Large Supervisor mwysocki@tredyffrin.org
• Mark Freed, At-Large Supervisor mfreed@tredyffrin.org

For further information about Berwyn Fire Company, and to find out how you can help, please contact Fire Chief Eamon Brazunas at firechief@berwynfireco.org or Fire Company President, Nam Truong at president@berwynfireco.org.

There’s still time for an adjustment in Tredyffrin Township’s contribution to Berwyn Fire Company — the supervisors will approve next year’s budget on Monday, December 15. (Click here to see Tredyffrin Township’s proposed 2015 budget).

Show your support for Berwyn Fire Company by contacting your elected officials and ask them to honor the fire company’s request for additional funding.

Improving Conditions in Tredyffrin Township — Power Returning to Many Households!

February 7, 2014

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What’s the saying, “Rome wasn’t built in a day” – the same could be say about restoring power to Tredyffrin Township and its surrounding areas. Downed power lines and toppled trees left many roads impassable and neighborhoods with dangerous conditions. Winter Storm Nika is PECO’s second worst in their history in terms of power loss, exceeded only by Hurricane Sandy in 2012. However, as the third day without power ends for many residents, there are improving conditions to report.

Friday evening, I received a phone call from Tredyffrin Township Police Supt. Giaimo offering some updates:

Tredyffrin Township now has a crew of 75 PECO trucks, each with 2 employees, dedicated to our township and focused on completing the restoration of all power to residents.
The repairs on the main sewer break at Rts 252 & 23 in Valley Forge National Historic Park are progressing and the township’s Public Works and Engineering Departments are moving quickly to resolve the problem.
Tredyffrin Township building is open as a warming and charging station. Although the website states the building is open until midnight, the township building will be open through the night, Saturday and Sunday, if needed. Coffee and tea is available.
Supt. Giaimo strongly urged residents to check on their elderly neighbors. If you are without power and need a place to stay, the police have an updated list of available local hotels. They are also arranging for transportation to West Chester shelters, either by buses or in some cases, the police are driving the residents. Residents are encouraged to utilize the resources available at the township building.
Much improvement has been made on the road closures with many re-opened today.

Supt. Giaimo assured me that many in the Police Department “have been working around the clock to keep people as safe as possible”.

I have been in contact with Township Manager Bill Martin. Just as the police chief, the township manager is also working very long hours but wanted me to know that “the hard work is done by all the staff – public works, police and support staff. They work above and beyond anything I have seen in all my years of public service, they care so much about what they do and the residents.”

The hope is that most of Tredyffrin Township should have their power restored by Saturday night – although it may be Sunday for some of the outlining areas.

People are reporting repair crews have arrived from all over the US –Ohio, Illinois, Alabama, Florida, North and South Carolina, Connecticut, Massachusetts and even crews from Canada! It was interesting to hear a PECO representative say that they usually don’t receive a high volume complaints in a power outage until about the 72 hour mark but that this time the complaints started at less than 24 hours into the outage. However, unlike the August storm of Hurricane Sandy, residents are dealing with below-zero temperatures during Winter Storm Nika.

Although I think that PECO could have moved quicker to organize following the power outage and PennDOT did not do its best at handling snow and ice covered roads, I have the highest praise for our home team in Tredyffrin – Supt. Giaimo and the Police Department and Township Manager Bill Martin and his support staff, public works and engineering staff. In addition, we thank the Berwyn Fire Company Chief Eamon Brazunas and his staff of volunteer fire fighters and Chief Ira Dutter and the volunteers of Paoli Fire Company. Many of these folks are exhausted having worked long hours, and in many cases leaving their own families and houses with similar power outages to help us – the residents of Tredyffrin – and deserve our appreciation and gratitude!

Easttown Township Annual Easter Egg Hunt, Saturday, March 16 — Free!

March 10, 2013

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Free Community Easter Egg Hunt — Children (all ages) Invited to Attend

When: Saturday, March 16
Time: 12 Noon
Where: Frank Johnson Park, 122 Bridge Ave, Berwyn
Sponsored by: Easttown Twp Parks & Recreation Board
Questions: Contact Mary Shultz at mzshultz@comcast.net

Bring your baskets and your cameras for the annual Easter Egg Hunt. Egg Hunt, Games, Prizes and the Easter Bunny will arrive on a Berwyn Fire Company Fire Truck.
Children of all ages are invited to attend.

Reminder — Annual Open House & Fire Prevention Day at Berwyn Fire Company – Today, 4-7PM

October 22, 2011

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Berwyn Fire Company Annual Open House & Fire Prevention Day

Saturday, October 22, 2011

4 PM – 7 PM

Berwyn Fire Company, 23 Bridge Ave, Berwyn, PA 19312

The Berwyn Fire Company members encourage the public to attend and bring the family. Fire and rescue demonstrations will be conducted and the fire trucks will be on display.

As a reminder: Bridge Avenue will be shut down between Lancaster Ave and Berwyn Ave beginning at 3:15 PM. Parking will be available on the Westside of the old Eckerd drug store property directly across the street from the fire station.

Today’s Open House at Berwyn Fire Company signals the end of National Fire Protection Week. There is a lot of important information contained on the fire company’s website, www.berwynfireco.org including the following tips for protecting your home and family from fire:

Stay in the kitchen while you are frying, grilling, or broiling food. If you leave the kitchen for even a short period of time, turn off the stove.
Keep anything that can burn at least three feet away from heating equipment, like the furnace, fireplace, wood stove, or portable space heater.
Have a three-foot “kid-free zone” around open fires and space heaters.
Replace or repair damaged or loose electrical cords.
If you smoke, smoke outside.
Use deep, wide ashtrays on a sturdy table.
Blow out all candles when you leave the room or go to bed. Avoid the use of candles in the bedroom and other areas where people may fall asleep.

The following tips will help keep your family safe if there is a fire in your home:

Install smoke alarms inside each bedroom, outside each sleeping area, and on every level of the home (including the basement).
Interconnect all smoke alarms in the home so when one sounds, they all sound.
Test smoke alarms at least monthly and replace all smoke alarms when they are 10 years old or sooner if they do not respond when tested.
Make sure everyone in your home knows how to respond if the smoke alarm sounds.
Pull together everyone in your household and make a plan. Walk through your home and inspect all possible ways out. Households with children should consider drawing a floor plan of your home, marking two ways out of each room, including windows and doors.
If you are building or remodeling your home, consider installing home fire sprinklers.

Berwyn Fire Company Could Win $10K . . . They just need a few minutes of our time!

September 19, 2011

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Here is a very easy way all of us can help Berwyn Fire Company and it just takes a few minutes of your time. The Berwyn Fire Company is competing with fire companies nationwide for a $10,000 grant from Liberty Mutual Insurance Company.

How does the contest work? It’s easy; the fire company who gets the most people to complete a fire safety survey online by October 31 wins the grant! If the Berwyn Fire Company wins the grant, they will use the money to help pay for gear and supplies used in firefighting and emergency response every day.

To help the Berwyn Fire Company win the grant, go to: http://www.befiresmart.com/

Take the Fire Safety Pledge (bottom left). They will email you a confirmation message. When you receive the confirmation message, you then click on the link and the Berwyn Fire Company will have the vote registered.

You can live anywhere in the US and still vote for the Berwyn Fire Company. Please support one of the busiest fire and emergency medical response organizations on the Main Line. Forward this post to everyone you know – let us help Berwyn Fire Company win the grant. Remember folks, our fire companies are volunteer organizations and a $10K grant can really help their budget!

This morning I received an email from Rip Tilden, president of the Berwyn Fire Company. Although he reported that the fire company is currently in the lead for the grant, he is encouraging everyone to show their support for our volunteer firefighters by participating in the survey. I took the survey – 10 questions and less than 5 min. of your time! I checked and yes, Berwyn Fire Company is currently in first place in the ‘medium fire company’ category but Middleton Fire District from Middleton, Wisconsin is not too far behind in second place!

Much can change in 30 days – let’s not take any chances. If you are reading this post, click on the link above and take the survey – now! You’ve got 5 minutes to spare; help Berwyn Fire Company take home the $10,000!

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Pattye Benson

Community Matters