Welcome to the Borough of Patterson Heights

• (Updated 1/21/2023)

ANOTHER BUSY YEAR FOR THE PATTERSON HEIGHTS VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT

Our firefighters finished 2022 with 166 calls for service, involving more than 350 man-hours.  Their calls included 15 building and 3 brush fires, 49 vehicle accidents, 9 vehicle fires, and other incidents including downed power lines, gasoline spills, natural gas leaks, and search details.

They are a completely volunteer group, and spend a good deal of time training.  This past year two men, Bard Hendry and Robert Wilson, earned their Pro-Board Firefighter 1 designations.  Fire Chief Jason Medlin wears many hats, including a new one as an Emergency Medical Responder.

Our fire company also improved its ISO rating from a 6 to a 4. An ISO fire rating is a score provided to fire departments and insurance companies by the Insurance Services Office.  The score reflects how prepared a community and area is for fires.  A good ISO rating greatly affects you homeowners insurance.  A rating of 4 places the Patterson Heights VFD among the top 20% of all fire companes nationwide!

You may have seen the new-used firetruck purchased recently.  It's just one part of an effort to keep the fire equipment up to date and functioning even better.  And while there has been some misinformed speculation, the new truck is actually about 8" shorter than the other red truck, fondly referred to as the "Beast."  The guys are finishing an extension on the fire department/municipal building to accommodate both trucks, as they are a bit larger than the equipment first housed there 100 years ago.

The VFD gets only a small donation each year from the Borough, and pays most of their expenses themselves.  Unlike some of our neighbors, Patterson Heights does not purchase their equipment, and certainly did not buy the new truck.  If you are not already, you may want to begin contributing to help keep the department on a good financial footing.  Perhaps also stop to thank them for their service when you see them out around the firehall.

SNOW!!

Here are a few things to remember during this season of snow and snow plowing.

• If it is snowing, or if snow is forecast, move your cars off the streets if you can.  The plow can do a better job if it doesn't have to go around cars left on the streets.
• Our truck spreads a mixture of salt and anti-skid (sand).  Unfortunately, the road treatment is expensive, so we try to use it sparingly.  Also, the anti-skid ends up in our catch basins (sewers) in the Spring, and we have to pay to have them cleaned out.  This is why, generally, only the intersections are salted.

 PLEASE REMEMBER

Keeping trash cans OFF the street is important.  Placing ANYTHING on the street is in violation of Borough Ordinances as well as state law.  Don't be surprised if you receive a citation for having cans in the street.  Our primary concern is safety, including yours.

THE POLICE ARE WAITING FOR YOUR CALL

While Patterson Heights is a very safe place to live, there are situations in which the police get involved, but too often they do not.  Often you see posts on social media about cars being broken into,  or inappropriate behavior on the playground, for example.  In the majority of cases, when asked if the police were called, the resident replies, "No,"  or "I didn't want to bother them." 

Remember that the police are here to protect and defend us, but they can't do so if they are not called when bad things happen.  So please, as the saying goes, "If you see something, say something."

The police can be reached at (724) 775-2883 or at 9-1-1.

WATCH OUT FOR THE KIDS!

Despite many warnings about stopping at intersections in Patterson Heights, drivers continue to blow through stop signs.  Unfortunately, children on bikes, scooters, and roller blades also ignore the stop signs, even when they are out with their parents.  Please be sure your children are stopping and looking at ALL stop signs.  Please avoid that 9-1-1 call that nobody wants to make!