Last year, the East Hempfield Township Board of Supervisors and East Petersburg Borough Council came together to create the Hempfield Area Fire Services Commission (HAFSC). Newly hired Chief Fire Official John A. Kottmyer was publicly introduced on March 3 at the East Hempfield Township Board of Supervisors meeting.

The Hempfield Area Fire Services Commission is made up of members of the East Hempfield Township Board of Supervisors, the East Petersburg Borough Council, the East Peterburg Fire Company, the Hempfield Fire Department, and the Rohrerstown Fire Company, as well as citizen-at-large representatives from each municipality.

The chief fire official position was created to administer a regional fire services program for the municipalities to ensure the protection and preservation of health, safety, and wellness for municipal citizens and businesses through increased uniformity and continuity of fire protection while minimizing operating costs and maximizing volunteer recruitment and retention.

Kottmyer retired from York City Fire Department as a deputy chief and has since served as the EMS manager for WellSpan Health and the director of education for VFIS, a division of Glatfelter Insurance Group.