Kennett Township to join new county emergency response team
08/09/2022 01:44PM ● By Richard GawBy Richard L. Gaw
Staff Writer
By a unanimous vote at their Aug. 3 meeting, the Kennett Township Board of Supervisors formally ushered the township into membership in the newly-formed Chester County Emergency Response Team, which will also include Tredyffrin Township, Downingtown Borough, East Vincent Township, and Schuylkill Township.
The mission of the commission (CCERT) will be to pool specialized police services -- including the need for emergency response team services and other specialized police services – in order to better allow member municipalities to respond to emergencies in the county.
In its entirety, it is anticipated that 32 different municipalities throughout the county will eventually become members of CCERT.
“We only exist under a memorandum of understanding,” said Kennett Township Chief Matt Gordon. “By going under this umbrella, it allows us to do things that we otherwise couldn’t do separately. If we were to apply for a grant for SWAT operations on our own, our chances of getting that grant would be slim and none, but by going under this umbrella shared by several municipalities applying for that same grant, that money would become better available to us.
“It also allows us to ask for funding outside of the Chester County taxpayer,” Gordon added. “The Chester County government has helped us in the past but they are not the sole provider of those funds. For the past 20 years, individual municipalities have been funding all emergency services needs, and the formation of the CCERT removes the financial burden from the municipalities.”
In other township business, the supervisors approved the amended preliminary/final land development plans for Exelon, particularly for the use of a helipad to be used by local emergency providers, including those in the township.
The board had approved a land development plan for Exelon in 2021.
The approval comes on the heels of communication between Exelon and the township regarding some minor changes to the plan as well as the construction of a relocated helipad on site. This amended plan outlines future helipad improvements, the addition of a walkway for the 300 Exelon Way building, removal of an existing patio on the western side of the 300 Exelon Way building and the renaming of private drives on the Exelon campus.
The board also approved the resignation of Leff from the Kennett Fire & EMS Commission. The board also approved the appointment of supervisor Geoffrey Gamble as an alternate voting member of the Commission.
To contact Staff Writer Richard L. Gaw, e-mail [email protected].