Fire Police
The Fire Police of the Silver Spring Community Fire Company are members who have received sworn police powers under authority of the Township and support fire fighting and law enforcement efforts in many ways. Fire Police perform the following necessary tasks on an emergency scene:
- Scene Security and Safety - The Fire Police hold the responsibility of watching the other first responders' backs during an incident. Through the means listed below the Fire Police are the first line of defense against incoming threats to an already dangerous emergency scene. However, this responsibility is two-fold in that they maintain an area of safety around a dangerous scene and keep untrained personnel from entering a hazardous environment.
- Traffic Control - The scene of a motor vehicle collision is one of the most hazardous scenes to first responders. This is not due to hazards already present, but due to impatient, unknowing or distracted drivers. The Fire Police coordinate their own large scale operation that is often independent from the primary incident to establish pre-warning and safety zones for the first responders. Due to this being one of the most prevalent tasks the Fire Police are tasked with, it lead to the creation of specialized units currently designated as Traffic Units.
- Crowd Control - On the scene of a large scale incident this often falls on the shoulders of the Fire Police. Local law enforcement officers often have limited staffing to continue patrols and other policing duties. Therefore, the control of a hazardous area in a large scale incident falls to the Fire Police. The Fire Police are left to keep bystanders and the media at a safe distance.
- Road Closures - During times of incliment weather or due to acts of nature the Fire Police are often tasked with closing roads. Sometimes this is done passively with signs and sometimes this is done actively with personnel on site depending on the hazard.
Cumberland County maintains a county level Fire Police unit known as the Special Police Emergency Response Team (SPERT) - Team 800. Several members of the Silver Spring Community Fire Company Fire Police are active members with SPERT and many assisted in creating the entity.
Fire Police Officers Wanted
We are looking for Volunteers to serve as members of our Silver Spring Special Fire Police unit. Members of the New Kingstown Fire Compay and the Silver Spring Community Fire Company make up this unit.
Fire police officers provide a very important service to our community.
All training and equipment will be provided!
Job requirements after training include:
- You must be able to provide traffic control on the highway and at intersections. You job will require you to be alert and work very close to moving traffic. You must be able to move quickly for your safety.
- You must be polite and able to communicate to motorist using verbal communications and hand signals. Sometimes these motorist may not be happy that we are delaying the commute.
- You will be ask to respond as often as you can and at all hours of day and night.
- Both of our fire stations have dedicated traffic units and we are in need of drivers for these units.
What applicants need to do:
1. Fill out an application to become a member of one of the township fire companies which includes a backround check.
2. Complete Fire Police training.
3. After training you will need to be approved by the Silver Spring Township Board of Supervisors and sworn in as a Fire Police Officer.
Interested persons will need to contact one of the following:
Michael Ott- Fire Police Captain Jim Gutshall- Fire Police Captain
Silver Spring Community Fire Company New Kingstown Fire Company
717-796-6096 717-766-4033
