CONNOQUENESSING — Officials met Thursday evening in preliminary discussions about the consolidation of the Evans City and Connoquenessing volunteer fire departments.

Dan Cox, president of the Connoquenessing department, said Friday that nine representatives from both fire departments plus officials from the four municipalities covered by the departments met at the Connoquenessing department.

Those municipalities are Evans City, Connoquenessing, Connoquenessing Township and Forward Township.

Cox said it was an informational session on the status of recent consolidation discussions between the two departments.

He said the group outlined facts on why the consolidation is being considered, which are: declining membership, increasing emergency call volume and rising operational costs.

“The group also discussed the role of local government in public safety,” Cox said.

He said engaging with municipalities early in the process has been a key factor in successful public safety consolidations in recent years across the state.

“Both organizations are committed to being proactive in service to our communities and are taking steps to better provide this essential service,” Cox said.

He said each departments’ consolidation committees will meet once per month, and the officials from the four municipalities will be invited too.

Evans City Council Vice President Kim Armstrong, who attended the meeting, said, “I think it was very well done. They’ve put a lot of legwork in between the two fire stations.”

She said the cost of operating a fire department is rising.

“We have to stop and think how to help all four communities as well as the safety and welfare of all of those people,” Armstrong said.

She was pleased to be invited to the meeting.

“They want to make sure they have our support,” Armstrong said of the municipal officials who attended.

She now will get feedback from council members and from Evans City residents.

Cox said the Connoquenessing department has close to 40 members, but only about a dozen active firefighters.

In addition to fires, both departments also are called out to vehicle accidents and some ambulance calls as well as calls in neighboring municipalities.