The proposed merger of three Quaker Valley area fire departments is moving forward.
Firefighters from Leetsdale, Fair Oaks Volunteer Fire Protective Association in Leet and Big Sewickley Creek Volunteer Fire Department in Bell Acres voted on May 11 to become Quaker Valley Fire District.
Each department held separate business meetings that evening at the Fair Oaks station.
Each vote was unanimous. A total of 36 members participated.
Company presidents and secretaries later sign the agreement.
“This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for these three fire departments, who have been providing fire protection for Leet, Leetsdale and Bell Acres for over 100 years, to ensure that they continue to provide the best, financially responsible fire service for another 100 years,” Fair Oaks Fire Chief Mark Brooks said on May 13.
The agreement will be sent to the state Office of the Attorney General for review, which could take months.
Allegheny County is expected to issue a new station number and run card for dispatch as the new department after state approval.
Fire departments will continue to be dispatched individually until then. However, they all respond to each other’s major fire calls via mutual aid.
Leaders of each department have been in merger talks for quite some time. Business picked up in Januarywith the first joint committee meeting.
Big Sewickley Creek President Tom Kuny, who was among those who signed the merger agreement, could barely hold in his excitement about the progress.
“I thought the meeting went well,” Kuny said on May 13. “(We) had good attendance and participation. We all agreed and are in favor of the new name.”
The new name was selected from three options, all starting with “Quaker Valley.”
The agreement comes with some operational changes, which are expected to begin next month.
Ryan Buttermore, Leetsdale Fire Department lieutenant and merger spokesperson, said an interim fire chief will be elected at a joint meeting on June 8.
That person will then appoint two deputy chiefs, three station captains and an EMS captain.
New bylaws will have to be drawn up, as well as new budgets.
Buttermore made presentations to each municipality, updating elected officials on the process.
Each municipality will have at least one representative on the merger board’s finance committee.
“They’ve been incredibly supportive of the agreement, and they all look forward to working with us to build an organization to really boost their community,” he said. “The goal is to provide a long-term viable solution to the fire services in this area, and we’ll be doing that through long-term planning in cooperation with the municipalities.”
Buttermore also emphasised the significance of the unanimous merger vote from the departments.
“It’s pretty important and impressive to receive the support,” he said. “Not a single person voted no. Each department knows what its strengths and weaknesses are. Everyone knows that by joining forces, we all stand to gain. The membership today is looking beyond personalities and egos. We’re all here today to do what’s best for the community.”
A new logo has not been finalized and the decision to re-decal trucks with an updated look has not been made.
The process to evaluate equipment and assets and reduce duplication is expected to begin within the coming weeks.
Total combined membership of the three departments is about 60, with 10 active responders in Leetsdale, 15 active in Leet and 15 active in Bell Acres.
The total number of combined vehicles available is 11. They include one engine, one squad and one squirt truck with a 75-foot ladder in Leetsdale, two engines and two squads in Leet, one engine, one tanker, a brush truck and a squad in Bell Acres.
Bell Acres responded to 186 calls in 2025, with 120 of them being medical calls. Leetsdale responded 372 calls last year, with 167 being fire calls and 205 medical. Leet responded to 125 calls; it relies on Leetsdale’s service for medical calls.
Leetsdale and Big Sewickley Creek have quick response teams that can administer basic medical services.
Buttermore said the recently signed merger agreement does not address its finances.
TribLive requested a copy of the agreement and was denied.