BUTLER TWP — Three of the township’s five volunteer fire departments plan to consolidate: Meridian, Lyndora and Greenwood Village.

“The integration of the departments into one entity will enable us to improve response times to emergencies, allow for more personnel to respond and reduce duplication of equipment and apparatus,” said Meridian Chief Toby Wehr in announcing the merger during Monday night’s township commissioners meeting.

Representatives from all three departments attended the meeting and indicated their support.

“I’m on board with everything that was said (by Wehr),” said Lyndora Chief Dexter Keibler.

Greenwood Village Chief Joe Hanchosky added, “We are a group.”

The plan is to combine the three department’s budgets, personnel and best equipment by Jan. 1, 2014. Tentatively, officials say the likely name of the new department will be the Butler Township Fire District Station No. 3.

The three departments will combine officers and act under one chief, who is yet to be determined.

The officials said they will inventory and evaluate the equipment and apparatus before deciding which will be kept and which will be sold.

The new department will keep active the fire stations used by Meridian at 121 Sparks Ave. and Lyndora at 114 Whitestown Road.

The Greenwood Village station on Old Eberhart Road will be used as a staging area for equipment in the future, but eventually it will be sold.

The township’s other departments are Mercer Road and South Butler.

South Butler Chief Brian Mazzanti said he was aware of the merger announcement. His department is not a part of that, however, because it is geographically farther than the merging departments which would negate any benefit.

“It just wouldn’t make sense,” Mazzanti said.

Mercer Road Chief Keven Kelly could not be reached for comment Monday night.

Already, all five of the township’s departments receive alerts for every structure fire. But the new department will be on one alert for fires and other emergencies, hopefully by July 1.

The three departments that are merging have a combined roster of about 85 active members and another 65 social members.

The officials said all of the township’s fire departments meet as part of the Butler Township Fire Commission, and the idea of a merger has been discussed for about two years. These three departments, geographically and ideologically, clicked and decided to move forward with the idea.

Wehr said, “As the township has evolved and changed over the last several decades, so have the needs and requirements of the volunteer fire departments. All three of the departments have provided impeccable service and protection over the last several decades, all the while being completely managed and operated by volunteers.

“When looking at the benefits that the consolidation will bring, it will ensure that the same level, if not better protection and service will continue for the residents of Butler Township, now and into the future.”

The departments intend to invite the public to two informational meetings on the topic in June, with the times and locations to be determined.

At the Monday meeting, Township Commissioner Dave Zarnik, who is the liaison to the fire department, commended the group on how quickly and peacefully the merger appears to be coming together.

And board President Ben Simon said, “We’re behind you 100 percent.”