Okay, we all know that Deka/East Penn is a large employer in Berks County and many Maidencreek residents, or their friends and neighbors, may work there and think this is a good thing. But there’s a reason why the current warehouses are located AWAY from residential areas, whereas this facility will be within 400 feet of some homes.

See below for some comments from one former employee that had been verified by one present employee:

• Trucks will be running all night long and yes there will be outside driver trucks sitting there idling. I’ve witnessed it at the Topton warehouse. I used to go out to that site when on night shift and dayshift and trucks ran all hours 7 days a week.
• Something else to consider, lithium batteries are likely the future and Deka is exploring this route. We’ve all seen the reports of how difficult lithium fires are to extinguish.
• Expect traffic to increase on the back roads as employees go to work.
• East Penn Manufacturing (Deka) has had their share of fires:
  • 2021 Fire: “Officials from Walnuttown Fire Company said plastic battery cases were on fire. The flames reportedly spread to a nearby wooded area, so officials on the scene requested the response of multiple brush trucks.”
  • 2023 Fire: “working fire in the building”