Discussions on merging volunteer fire companies and ambulances in the greater Hanover area has been on-going for years. From “tailboard discussions” while hanging out in the fire houses to more formal meetings, the concept can be traced to the late 1980s and early 1990s. After several major fires in the Hanover area, people started to realize that the duplication of services, bypassing companies due to geographic boundaries and the simple fact that many volunteer members were active in more than one organization, a new direction was needed.

With the consolidation of the fire companies and ambulance service in neighboring Adams County and the formation of Southeastern Adams Volunteer Emergency Services (SAVES), the short-term and long-term benefits became clear. Along with the benefits, many people saw firsthand that a project like this, if conducted properly, could be successful in Hanover Borough and Penn Township. Not long after the formation of SAVES, the consolidation of the Penn Township volunteer fire companies and ambulance organizations in 2006 led to the formation of Penn Township Volunteer Emergency Services, Inc. This step laid the foundation for a larger, volunteer fire-rescue organization in the future.

Over the next few years, the cooperative relationship between Hanover Borough and Penn Township began to increase. With better communication and positive results shown by working together in past years, several more joint ventures were formalized. In 2007, Hanover Borough selected Penn Township Volunteer Emergency Services, Inc. to provide 911 Emergency Medical Services. That was followed by the joint use agreement for placing Penn Township Fire and EMS apparatus and personnel in Hanover Borough’s Clearview fire station. Next, a shared fire chief position was created in 2011. Finally, a joint Comprehensive Plan to manage growth in both communities was adopted in 2015.

Around this time, the remaining Hanover Borough fire companies began to discuss their future. After several years of on-again and off-again discussions, formal conversations began between the municipal governments and volunteer organizations to take the final step and fully regionalize and merge services. The remaining volunteer fire-rescue and EMS organization, Eagle Fire Company No. 2, Clearview Fire Company No. 3, Penn Township Volunteer Emergency Services, Inc. and the Fire Police of Penn Township voted in 2017 to consolidate into a brand new volunteer organization. On Saturday, April 14, 2018 Hanover Area Volunteer Fire and Rescue held its first organizational meeting and ribbon-cutting ceremony.

Today, Hanover Area Volunteer Fire and Rescue supports the career staff of Hanover Area Fire Rescue Commission in providing high-level, quality Fire-Rescue and EMS services in a combination paid and volunteer system. This a combination career and volunteer fire department consisting of a career fire chief, 30 career fire fighters, 30 career EMS and 50 active volunteers working from three fire stations. In addition to assisting with firefighting, the fire company provides rescue, air cascade, lighting, SCUBA, traffic control and public event support, fire safety education and outreach to the greater Hanover community.