Fire companies in three counties receive crisis grants
Fire companies across Washington, Greene and Fayette counties will receive multiple “crisis grants” to assist with costs typically covered by fundraising events, many of which were canceled this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The 27 volunteer fire and EMS departments received a total of $598,924, according to a Thursday news release from state Rep. Pam Snyder. The one-time grant program was introduced earlier this year. The grants had to be approved by the state’s fire commissioner office and the Emergency Management Agency.
“We know that these fire and EMS companies have been hurting across our state because they haven’t been able to do their normal fundraising activities,” Snyder said in a release. “This truly was a bipartisan, bicameral effort that has resulted in these organizations getting the valuable funding they need to continue to answer the call in our communities.”
Most of the departments received about $23,000 each, with their associated ambulance or EMS service receiving an additional $15,500.
In Greene County, 13 departments received a total of $277,320. Those departments include Bobtown, Dunkard, Carmichaels and Cumberland Township, Center Township, Clarksville, Greensboro-Monongahela, Jefferson, Morris, Nemacolin, New Freeport, Rices Landing, Wayne, and Waynesburg Franklin.
“We’re fortunate that we get the majority of our budget through tax dollars,” Waynesburg Franklin fire Chief Jeff Marshal said.
He said the $25,342 that his department was awarded will be used on utility, insurance and fuel costs and apparatus repairs, which were all listed in the grant as eligible expenses. Marshall said Waynesburg’s is a fortunate department in that it only relies on fundraisers for “less than 5%” of their budget.
That’s not the case for many of the volunteer departments receiving the grant.
East Bethlehem Township Volunteer Fire Company was one of three Washington County departments to be awarded money.
“For us, we had a few documented fundraisers that were canceled that we were able to include in our application,” said Matt Babko, president of the company.
The grant allowed for reimbursement of canceled fundraisers if departments could show documentation that they turned a profit. Babko said his department typically did raffle ticket sales every quarter that brought in $3,000. They also have an annual golf outing, but not as many sponsors participated this year, he said.
Babko said the $23,973 that his department was awarded will likely be used to cover utility and insurance costs as well as apparatus repairs.
The other two Washington County departments receiving money were Denbo-Vesta Six and Richeyville. Washington County’s total award was $70,549.
The 11 Fayette County departments received a total of $251,055. Those departments include Allison, Brownsville, Grindstone, Hiller, Isabella, Luzerne, Masontown, South Brownsville and Tower Hill 2. Brownsville Ambulance Service and Hiller’s EMS were also included in the grant list.