Lawnside Fire Department Left Without Working Trucks Amid Funding Dispute

By MES Dispatch staff

The Briefing
• The Lawnside Fire Department in New Jersey is currently without any working fire trucks amid a funding dispute with borough officials.
• All three of the department’s trucks are inoperable, forcing the volunteer department to borrow apparatus from neighboring towns.
• Fire Chief Mark Jay said limited funding delayed repairs and could endanger public safety, according to a letter to borough officials.
• Borough officials say funding approvals were made once they were aware of the inoperable equipment.
• The dispute highlights ongoing challenges for small fire departments managing aging apparatus under tight budgets.

(LAWNSIDE BOROUGH, NJ —) The Lawnside Fire Department in New Jersey is operating without a single working fire truck, forcing the volunteer department to borrow apparatus from neighboring Haddon Heights and Barrington while a funding dispute with borough officials continues, authorities said.

All three of the department’s fire trucks are currently inoperable: one is out for repairs, another remains under extended maintenance, and the third is sidelined, according to a letter from Fire Chief Mark Jay to borough leaders.

Jay wrote that chronic budget restrictions have delayed repairs and left the historically Black volunteer department without reliable response vehicles, creating potential risks for residents.

Lawnside Mayor Mary Ann Wardlow responded that borough officials approved repair funding after learning the last operational truck had failed, saying the issue was addressed within 24 hours of notification.

The department previously posted notices about equipment failures, including a breakdown that occurred while it was transporting Santa Claus around town on Christmas Eve.

The situation underscores the broader challenges many small fire departments face maintaining aging apparatus on limited budgets, as repair costs and vehicle replacement expenses continue to rise.