A decreasing number of volunteer firefighters and lack of funds have forced fire companies to find other ways to protect and serve.
Two long-standing independent fire companies and a nearby fire company could soon become one that would cover McAdoo borough and Kline and Banks townships.
McAdoo Fire Company Chief Bob Leshko confirmed that he and representatives of Keystone Fire Company, McAdoo, and the Tresckow Fire Company have started talking about merging the three companies.
"We're in the process of working on bylaws and talking about what assets will be involved for each company," Leshko said. "I'm feeling very positive that it's going to happen.
"It may take a year or two years before it is all done but we are moving forward and we have verbally agreed to get the process started."
The merger would create one company to protect McAdoo, Kline Township and Banks Township.
The three companies can join forces in fundraising efforts to make it economically sensible.
"On May 31, we have a scheduled fundraiser to benefit the merger," Leshko said. " 'A Night At The Races,' a joint fundraising effort by all three companies to help defray merging costs, will be held at the Keystone Fire Company."
All three companies are gathering assets that will be part of the merger.
"We have to decide what assets will be brought into the merger and multiple different avenues that must be covered to move forward but I feel it is going to happen," Leshko said.
Banks Township Supervisor Joe Clark, who also is involved with the Tresckow Fire Company, sees the advantages of such a move but said the company will proceed with caution.
"Some issues have to be ironed out and we have a lot of unanswered questions that have to be discussed," Clark said. "Our primary function is the health and safety of the community, we have to look at it very closely."
Clark believes the state will eventually force fire companies to merge and become more actively involved in how fire stations are operated.
"We have no debt, all the bills are paid," Clark said. "When the new officers of our fire company took over, we had 23 cents in the checking account."
Banks Township supervisors have pledged to give 25 percent of the Local Service Tax to the Tresckow Fire Company and he said the Firemen's Relief Fund could increase from $13,000 a year to $39,000 if the fire companies merge.
Scott Card, fire chief for the oldest fire company, Keystone No. 1, said he believes it is the best move.
"I think it's the greatest thing we can do," Card said. "My big thing is having coverage in emergencies for McAdoo and Banks Township."
The merger could have anywhere from 60 to 70 active volunteers with more equipment ready to battle or face any emergency that happens for those sections of Schuylkill and Carbon counties. Keeping and training volunteers is difficult and the new training is hard work for firefighters volunteering their services.
"We're moving forward. We have a meeting on Sunday, May 4, it will be our sixth meeting," Card said. "We want to make sure everything is covered. That's our main priority."
All three fire companies have a long history of serving their municipalities. McAdoo Fire Company began serving the south side in July 1921 and the Keystone Fire Company goes back to June 1896. Tresckow Fire Company was established in 1923 and is also an all-volunteer fire company.