A city-commissioned study suggested Bethlehem could construct a fire station in the southeast portion of the city and add firefighters, even though it did not have to do so.
The study is meant to provide guidelines and act as a reference manual, according to Mayor J. William Reynolds, City Council member Justin Amann; and city Business Administrator Eric Evans.
“It is meant to inform us for what we’ll need in years to come,” said Amann, chair of council’s public safety committee. “The idea is we will continue to have these discussions for many years to come.”
The study of Bethlehem’s Fire Department and emergency medical services was presented Tuesday night to the public safety committee.
The $80,000, 176-page study by Washington-based Center for Public Safety Management was authorized by city officials in February. Reynolds said the last study of this nature was done about 30 years ago.
The study doesn’t entirely align with one commissioned by city firefighters that said the department is understaffed and should have 30 firefighters per shift per platoon versus the existing 24 per shift per platoon.
Firefighters made up many of the 30 audience members who attended Evans’ presentation at City Hall.
The firefighters’ study, released in October 2025, was conducted by the International Association of Firefighters, which gathered its recommendations from the National Fire Protection Association.
According to the city study, the 24 per shift per platoon staff level is widely used, but fire Chief Matthew Griffin said there are rarely 24 on duty and the average is 20 because of staff being out on vacation, sick or personal time.
“It just fluctuates daily,” he said.
Several firefighters who addressed council stressed the need for more staff. ’
Firefighter Robert Hager said the understaffed department is evident “when we send the same number of firefighters to a major industrial fire and to a residential fire. … Bethlehem can do better.”
“Come to the fire house and talk to us about our individual experiences,” fire Lt. Darrel Higgins said, referring to times when three calls come in at once.
“That happens a lot more than numbers tell,” he said.
Reynolds did not rule out adding to the department.
“We are absolutely considering more firefighters,” he said. “It is one of many considerations.”
The study said the city should “strongly consider” building a fire station in the southeastern part of the city, which is “experiencing significant industrial, warehousing, and commercial growth.” Responses to that area take longer than recommended it found.
Doing so could cost $5 million-$12 million, depending on the square footage, and the price of labor and material when it is built.
Among other notable findings in the study were a high volume of false alarms — in 2025 there were 1,334, 54% more than in 2018.
The city has an ordinance regarding false alarms, which Reynolds said “has not been openly aggressive but we should come up with something stronger.”
The EMS side of the study recommended increasing staff to accommodate the highest volume of calls that come during the day, up from 8,608 in 2019 to 12,260 last year.
“Overall, Bethlehem EMS represents a strong and professionally managed EMS system that provides reliable, clinically competent emergency medical care to the community,” the study said.
The study is available on the city’s website.
Charles Malinchak is a freelance writer.