The fire companies serving Coaldale and Lansford are hoping to undertake a study that would look at the feasibility of a merger.

Officials from the Coaldale Fire Department and the American Fire Company of Lansford attended Tuesday’s Coaldale Borough Council meeting to ask council to approve the study.

“What we are looking to do is to start a study with the state on working on a merger between us and Lansford,” Coaldale Fire Chief Steven Polischak explained. “It’s free. There’s no obligation to go with what comes out of it. Really it’s just a feasibility study. We can take the next steps after that.”

The study would look at the companies’ manpower, equipment and other holdings.

It would also look at “where we stand, what we need to do, what we have too much of, and all that good info,” Polischak added.

He said it is the first step in what could be a very long process.

“I’m not saying something is going to happen overnight. This could be a year, this could be three years until everything is said and done,” Polischak noted. “It’s a start in the right direction.”

Councilwoman Claire Remington’s motion to approve the study was seconded by Councilman Francis Hutta and passed unanimously. Councilman Wayne Figner was absent.

Fire officials will attend tonight’s Lansford Borough Council meeting to ask them to approve the study.

Polischak noted that Coaldale and Lansford frequently respond to the same calls, work together on fundraising and apply for regional grants together.

“We are all on the same wavelength of thinking,” he said.

Hutta asked if only one fire company location would exist based on the study’s findings.

“That is unknown at this time,” Polischak said.

Hutta also noted that fire company volunteers are difficult to find.

After the meeting, Polischak said even though the companies are looking at the study, a merger isn’t imminent.

“This is the first thing we are doing so we want to take baby steps,” Polischak said of the study.