$1.3M will help local fire departments
A total of $1.3 million is coming to aid Butler volunteer fire departments this year, according to the Pennsylvania Auditor General’s office. Local fire chiefs are brainstorming on how to spend it.
The state received a total $66 million for its volunteer fire departments from the Volunteer Fire Fighters Relief Act, which requires out-of-state insurance companies that insure homes in a Pennsylvania municipality to grant a percentage of funds to local fire departments and municipal police departments, according to Tim Llewellyn, chief of Adams Area Fire District.
Llewellyn said this year his department received $138,560, which is similar to what it received last year. The relief act funds make up a quarter of the department’s budget.
“We use that funding for equipment and save it for fire trucks,” he said. “Some departments use it for boots, pants, coats. Ours is solely for fire engines.”
The department replaces its engines every 20 years and ordered one recently that will arrive in early 2024.
Ryan Enscoe, assistant chief of North Washington Volunteer Fire Department, said the funds from the relief act are calculated on a municipality’s population. Funds are then placed in the care of the municipalities to be distributed by their leaders to local fire departments.
According to Auditor General Tim DeFoor, Cranberry Township will receive the highest amount in Butler County, a total of $288,076. Butler Township is the second highest at $155,084.
Since the North Washington department primarily covers Washington Township, Enscoe said the department will likely receive the municipality’s allotted $7,157 in its entirety.
The department expects to receive nearly $10,000 total, accounting for contributions from other municipalities they serve.
“One hundred percent of that $7,157 goes to North Washington. If you think about Concord Township, it’s divided into four quarters: North Washington’s department, West Sunbury, Oneida Valley and Chicora, so they’ll split that up,” he said.
Enscoe said the funds come with a set of stipulations and guidelines on how to spend them.
“We’ll use most of it for our accident and sickness insurance, which is a policy for if you’re hurt on the job, and every year we buy two sets of fire gear,” he said. “I’m guessing they’re probably $2,200 to $2,500 for a coat and pants — that doesn’t include boots or a helmet.”
Chief Kevin Smith of Butler Township Volunteer Fire District said the $155,084 the department expects to receive is more than normal, and the district has no plans to spend it yet.
“Nothing is slated, It’s possible we use it on protective gear,” he said.
Since the funds fluctuate with population, departments like Butler and Middlesex Township Volunteer Fire Company don’t include it in their yearly budgets.
Walt Hamilton, Middlesex fire chief, said the department should receive all $53,741 from their township.
“Whoever the main fire coverage is gets 100 percent,” he said. “You can only use it on certain things — you can’t pay a bill with it. There’s certain tools you can buy with it, safety equipment and gear. You can’t spend the money any way you see fit, and if you do, you’ll be in big trouble or have to pay it back.”
Similar to Adams’ firefighters, Hamilton said they plan to save the funds for a larger purchase.
“We’ve been saving it for the past few years. We’re keeping expenditures low. We’re going to have to buy air packs soon,” he said.
Llewellyn said the relief act funds, in any amount, are welcomed by the local departments.
“Every little bit helps,” he said. “Prices have gone up. Everything that has a fire department tag on it is more expensive than it used to be.”
