July 17 -- Allentown Fire Chief Lee T. Laubach Jr. announced his retirement on Monday, ending a 25-year career with the department.
“I believe during my time as chief we have reinforced and stabilized the foundation of the Allentown Fire Department,” Laubach wrote in his retirement letter to Mayor Ray O’Connell.
“Local 302 and the fire administration have worked together to address operational shortfalls and improve safety for our members. I am sure both entities will work together along with city administration to improve public safety for the benefit of our citizens and our fire department staff.”
Laubach will officially retire in a month, on Aug. 17, and an interim chief will be appointed.
He has been chief since February 2015. Besides being the chief, Laubach also serves as the city’s emergency management coordinator.
“Lee has been an outstanding chief,” O’Connell said. “He has managed what I believe to be an extremely talented department. Our specialty teams are among the finest, which is a testament to the chief’s overall leadership.”
Joining Laubach in retirement will be Judge, the city’s arson dog who has helped in more than 550 fire investigations in the city and surrounding area during his eight years of K-9 service. Laubach has been Judge’s handler since the dog joined the department.
In 2016, Judge was named American Humane Hero Dog winner for the Arson Dog Category.
Laubach oversaw the department during a public dispute between the department’s rank and file and city leadership. In spring 2017, fire union leaders spoke out before City Council, saying Allentown’s aging fire fleet had reached a “crisis” point.
At that time, five trucks in the city's eight-truck fleet were more than 10 years old. The National Fire Protection Association calls for firetrucks to remain in primary use for no more than 10 years.
Then-Mayor Ed Pawlowski called the firefighter complaints "nonsense" and said the situation "hardly fit the label of a crisis." But he announced that the city was adding a firetruck and made plans to buy several more.
One truck arrived in July 2017. Two more, both engines, were included in the 2018 budget, and are expected to arrive in December. An additional engine will be funded with a state grant and is expected to arrive in January.
Laubach stayed out of the spotlight during the dispute, but has spoken out following the recent truck purchases to call for the city to establish and follow a replacement schedule for fire equipment.
"Hopefully we learn this time, " he said in May, arguing that the new trucks bring the city back to the “baseline.”
Laubach joined the department in 1993 and was promoted to fire specialist in August 2002. Laubach was named lieutenant in April 2006 and fire marshal two years later.
In October 2009, Laubach became the city’s captain of public affairs and the assistant chief of fire prevention in 2010, the same year he was named the department’s Firefighter of the Year.
He was named the deputy chief of operations in 2014 before he became chief.
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