BETHLEHEM, Pa. — A two-alarm fire Sunday afternoon on East Elizabeth Avenue has renewed urgent calls from Bethlehem firefighters and their supporters for the city to increase staffing, following what union leaders described as a “near perfect storm” of simultaneous emergencies that left no units available for additional calls.
The blaze at Pints & Pies Pub broke out shortly after noon, drawing every available fire crew in the city, according to Fire Chief Matthew Griffin. The department responded around 12:20 p.m. and found heavy fire and smoke coming from the building’s walls. Crews extinguished the fire around 2 p.m., Griffin said. No injuries were reported, though the restaurant was evacuated and its reopening date remains unclear.
As firefighters worked the scene, two additional calls came in elsewhere in the city — one on Linden Street and another on Summit Street on the South Side. With all units tied up at the Elizabeth Avenue fire, dispatchers were unable to immediately send crews to the third call, according to the Bethlehem Fire Buffs and firefighters union IAFF Local 735.
Union leaders said the situation underscores long-standing concerns about staffing levels.
“This morning was the closest we’ve come to the perfect storm,” Bethlehem Fire Buffs wrote in a post shared Sunday. “Next time may not be so lucky.”
Staffing concerns escalate
The department is budgeted for 104 personnel, but an independent study completed by the International Association of Fire Fighters found Bethlehem should have at least 113 firefighters to safely meet the city’s needs. The city staffs 18 firefighters per shift, below the National Fire Protection Association’s recommended 30, the union said. Bethlehem also operates with fewer crew members per engine than national standards advise.
The study, which analyzed city incident data from 2021 through 2024, found Bethlehem firefighters are meeting the critical four-minute response benchmark only 80% of the time — short of the NFPA’s 90% target.
At a recent City Council budget meeting, Local 735 President Lou Jimenez said firefighters have lost 10 positions and a fire station over the past 15 years.
“We’re human beings with families. We’re telling you we don’t have enough people to work,” Jimenez told council. “It’s all about money. And it’s going to take a firefighter to die in this city for everybody to learn that.”
Jimenez criticized what he described as overreliance on financial data and “outsider” analysis when firefighters themselves have repeatedly warned of risks.
“I’m tired of being treated like a number. My members are not numbers,” he said. “This city deserves the staffing that they need.”
Jimenez said an internal study conducted by the union began in May 2024 using the same computer-aided dispatch data the city intends to review in its own ongoing analysis.
Residents urge action
Firefighters weren’t the only ones pressing City Council to act. Several residents voiced concern about safety if staffing levels remain unchanged.
“If nothing changes it is not a question of whether a preventable tragedy will occur, it’s a question of when,” said Rose Jimenez.
“As a father and a resident, I feel cheated,” said Anthony Castillo, responding to reports of understaffed firehouses.
City Council member Grace Crampsie Smith said she plans to introduce a budget amendment that would add four firefighters to the department in 2026.
Mutual aid questions linger
Union leaders and supporters also questioned the city’s lack of a standing mutual-aid agreement, which could allow nearby departments to automatically assist during major incidents. Currently, mutual aid must be specially requested, according to the Bethlehem Fire Buffs.
They said Sunday’s series of overlapping calls demonstrated the risk of operating without such agreements — and without additional firefighters.
City Hall weighs costs, future study
City business administrator Eric Evans said the administration is conducting its own study of the department’s staffing and operational efficiency, with results expected next summer. Evans estimated that adding four firefighters next year could cost roughly $500,000 and cautioned council members against relying on one-time revenue sources to cover recurring personnel expenses.
In a social media statement following the meeting, Jimenez said he did not regret speaking forcefully about the issue and vowed to continue advocating for staffing increases.
“We are not a liability — we are a source of value and service that cannot be measured in dollars,” he wrote. “We are not just numbers.”
Isabel Hope is a journalist and website designer based in Bethlehem, PA. She graduated with a degree in journalism from The University of Alabama in 2022, where she served as News Editor of the student newspaper. Isabel has lived in the Lehigh Valley for three years and is passionate about reporting for the communities she now calls home.