For Our Community

Community Information from the Upper Black Eddy Fire Company for people in our protection area.
River Information has moved to a new page - here it is.

General Questions


Here are the most common questions we get from new residents:

Q. Where is the nearest fire hydrant?

A. We don't have any fire hydrants in our coverage area. We bring water with us to the scene and then go to various water sources to get more. Pump sites must be where an engine can be within 20 feet of the water source - which leaves the Delaware River and most swimming pools out for a water source in most of our coverage area. We can help you design a water source that can serve as a source of fire protection water for your home. Contact us for more help.

Q. What's our ISO rating?

A. As of 2004, it's a 9, which is the rating 38% of all communities in America have. The best ISO rating is a 1, which is only possible in a paid staff, urban environment.

Q. Do you fill pools?

A. Yes. See the services page for more information.

Q. How can I help?

A. There are three ways you can help us help you.
First, consider becoming a member. You don't have to be a firefighter to be a member, we need lots of help in other areas, including accounting, administration, photography, legal services, facilities maintenance, vehicle maintenance, public relations and more. We're a non-profit company, and with that comes all of the usual administrative overhead of running any company.
Second, we always need money, in any amount. At any given time, we have about $800,000 in financial need, ranging from replacement of fire trucks to repairs on the firehouse to increased insurance costs.
Finally, you can work to prevent fires in the first place. In our protection area, brush fires are a leading call, and the vast majority of them come from unattended open burning. While we're ready, willing and able to come to fight a fire, we'd really rather see your home and property never burn at all.

Q. Why does the siren have to be so loud?

A. Because radio communications are unreliable and the siren serves as an effective backup to alert members that there is a call. There have been plenty of times when the siren sound alone has alerted members to come to station for a call.

Q. How much do you charge for fire and rescue services?

A. Nothing. We provide all emergency services for free. We do try to bill insurance companies for certain services, but we do not bill individuals for any emergency services. We do offer some other services, such as pool fills and hose-downs for a nominal charge.

Q. Is "Open Burning" legal here?

A. It depends on who you ask. According to PA law, no, it's not legal, but the question of enforcement is open. Depending on the township you live in, it is legal by some Township codes. As of June 2007, we're told "open" burning is NOT legal in Tinicum and Nockamixon, but we have no clear definition of what "controlled" burning is. In a nutshell, if you're using a burn barrel, you're probably OK, but we're not completely sure. If we get a 911 call from your neighbor to put out an "uncontrolled" burn, in any township, we're going to come and put it out, and that's all there is to it. Ask your town supervisors for a written policy, and if you get one, we'd love to see it.
If you have a question that's not answered here, please contact us, we'll get back to you with an answer quickly.