Northern Schuylkill-area municipalities receive nearly $450,000 in annual state aid for fire relief associations
KAYLEE LINDENMUTH / SENTINEL FILE PHOTO - Mahanoy City firefighters descend an embankment to rescue a car crash victim in 2017.
Sentinel Staff Reports | [email protected]
SHENANDOAH – Municipalities in and around our coverage area have received about $450,000 in state aid to go towards their local volunteer fire relief association, according to the auditor general’s office.
The Greater Shenandoah area, the borough and West Mahanoy Township, received a combined $29,590.33, an increase of $2,154.58 from last year.
The auditor general’s office says the funding, which comes from a 2% state tax on fire insurance premiums, “helps reduce burdens on local taxpayers.”
“State aid provided to volunteer firefighters’ relief associations helps dedicated first responders save lives and protect our communities,” auditor general Eugene DePasquale said in a media release. “The state funding I am announcing today will help provide life-saving equipment, critical training and insurance for tens of thousands of volunteer firefighters all across the state.”
Nearly $60 Million was distributed to 2,518 municipalities across the Commonwealth, DePasquale said.
In the Northern Schuylkill area, the municipalities that make up the Sentinel‘s coverage area plus surrounding municipalities, $443,901.05 was distributed. A town-by-town list is at the bottom of this article.
DePasquale said this year was the first that the amount of aid distributed increased since he took office.
“The additional funding is good news to volunteer firefighters who have had to weather some hits in state aid over the past few years,” DePasquale said.
In a media release, DePasquale called for the state General Assembly to consider giving fire relief associations greater flexibility, “to use the state aid they receive in ways that meet specific local needs.”
“I want to make sure that the law governing the use of state aid is keeping up with changes in how fire services are provided,” he said.
Steven Quinn, a captain at the Shenandoah Heights Fire Company in West Mahanoy Township, said the funding helps his company purchase a variety of equipment for use in the fire service, though he said he believes the current amount isn’t enough.
“The price of one radio is around $7,000,” Quinn said. “And the catch with relief funds, it’s like renting something, the fire department will never own it.”
West Mahanoy Township received $12,434.53 this year, and three fire companies operate in the township — the Heights, William Penn, and Altamont. The amount is an increase of about $940.
In our area, the most funding was received by the Greater Hazleton municipalities, Hazleton and Hazle Township, each receiving about $80,000, an increase of $10,000 from last year for each, the largest in the area by far.
Butler Township received the next largest amount — and next largest increase — receiving $23,687.24 this year, an increase of $1,638.09.
Rush Township, Mount Carmel borough in Northumberland County, Shenandoah borough, Mahanoy City borough, Frackville borough, and Black Creek Township in Luzerne County also received increases of more than $1,000.
Aid Distribution Amounts
Municipality — 2019 Amount — Difference from 2018
Schuylkill County
Ashland — $10,775.44 — +$846.76
Barry Township — $5,551.07 — +$325.63
Butler Township — $23,687.24 — +$1,638.09
Delano Township — $2,051.70– +$174.43
East Union Township $13,813.43 — +$522.41
Frackville — $15,153.50 — +$1,077.21
Gilberton — $2,579.45 — +$204.40
Girardville — $5,121.17 — +$392.88
Gordon — $3,106.95 — +$194.22
Kline Township — $7,257.54 — +$558.24
Mahanoy City — $14,199.82 — +$1,205.77
Mahanoy Township — $10,704.99 — +$786.90
McAdoo — $8,613.23 — +$606.22
New Castle Township — $2,303.87 — +$117.88
North Union Township — $9,080.51 –+ $739.17
Ringtown — $3,562.62 — +$244.10
Rush Township — $21,496.75 — +$1610.74
Ryan Township — $11,063.68 — +$907.07
Shenandoah — $17,155.80 — +$1,214.05
Union Township — $7,540.55 — +$455.94
West Mahanoy Township — $12,434.53 — +$940.53
Columbia County
Centralia — $34.37 — +$2.79
Conyngham Township — $3,027.29 — +$204.47
Beaver Township — $5,945.80 — +$478.17
Roaring Creek — $4,265.25 — +$276.69
Luzerne County
Black Creek Township — $14,444.95 — +$1,002.97
Hazleton — $80,379.69 — +$9,641.85
Hazle Township — $81,289.89 — +$10,321.75
Northumberland County
Kulpmont — $10,884.45 — +$795.54
Marion Heights — $2,295.60 — +$164.18
Mt. Carmel Township — $13,262.69 — +$974.91
Mt. Carmel Borough — $20,817.23 — +$1,469.13
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