First responders receive state grants to aid public safety operations
Nearly 100 first responders from Fayette, Greene and Washington counties are receiving about $1.4 million in 2023-24 Fire Company and Emergency Medical Service Grants.
The money, which comes from the proceeds from slot machine gaming, is part of an ongoing grant program created by the Legislature and administered by the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency and Office of the State Fire Commissioner (OFSC).
In Washington County, 42 fire and ambulance companies were awarded more than $622,000, while 46 in neighboring Fayette received almost $640,000. Ten fire and ambulance companies in Greene County were awarded nearly $125,500 in grants ranging from $10,000 to $20,000 each.
Jeff Layton, chief of the New Haven Hose Company in Connellsville, said his fire company’s $13,839 grant will be used for debt reduction.
“With fundraisers being what they are and bingo not generating money like it used to due to all of the gambling and the casinos, this is a real pick-me-up,” Layton said.
He added that New Haven Hose is another fortunate company that does not need to use the money on recruiting.
“We have several generations of firefighters in our department,” he said. “We have grandparents, parents and now sons. The sons are starting to have children. We’re looking in the near future at four generations in the fire department.”
The money, derived from slot machine gaming proceeds, is part of an ongoing grant program created by the Legislature and administered by the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency and Office of the State Fire Commissioner (OFSC). The grant program was initiated in 2000 and is open to volunteer and career fire companies, emergency medical services and rescue squads in Pennsylvania.
Grants can be used for construction or renovation of fire or ambulance company facilities, purchase or repair of equipment, training, recruitment and retention and debt reduction.
“It’s been a great program, and it continues to grow in the amount of money they make available to fire departments,” said Tim Solobay, chief of the Canonsburg Volunteer Fire Department and a former state fire commissioner. “It’s very helpful. There’s a lot of need and usually not enough money.”
Like its counterpart in Connellsville, South Strabane Township will use its share for debt reduction, too.
“That program, not just for us but for departments across the state, is essential for our operation,” said Jordan Cramer, chief in South Strabane.
South Strabane was awarded $20,000 that Cramer said will be used for debt reduction to defray the cost of portable radios financed several years ago.
“Since we are able to put that (funding) into debt reduction, it allows us to put money into other equipment that we need badly to equip our new engine, which just arrived,” Cramer said.
He added that the fire company is fortunate to have a number of new firefighters and will not need to use the money toward recruiting this year.
“Numbers-wise, we’re up significantly from previous years,” he said.
Canonsburg VFD was awarded a grant of $16,952, which Solobay said will be used for new gear.
“We want to get some better personal protective equipment on the guys,” he said. “If there’s anything remaining, we generally use it for debt reduction on one engine that we are still paying on.”
Peters Township Fire Chief Mike McLaughlin said his department received $16,952 that it will use in a joint venture with Upper St. Clair to purchase new attack hose packages.
“They’re doing the same identical project,” McLaughlin explained. “The reason we went in together was to leverage the buying power of the hoses. We’re basically doubling our order because the more you buy, the better price you get. We’re actually able to replace all of our attack hoses. Some of our attack hoses have been around longer than I’ve been in the department and that’s 20 years.”
McLaughlin said the grants have increased through the years, but a potential discontinuation of the program may be on the horizon.
“This is a call to action of all elected officials to get this money reinstated for future years,” he said. “When it comes to this money, we aren’t buying new attack hoses unless we get this. There’s no way we can do a wholesale change-out without it. One of the things we do every single year that we’re eligible for this money is to put it toward things that we need but might not be able to do otherwise.”
Gov. Josh Shapiro said he plans to propose a $30 million increase for the program, raising it from $30 million to $60 million for the 2024-25 budget.
Pennsylvania State Fire Commissioner Tom Cook said doubling the funding can only help.
“Our fire companies and first responders put their health and safety on the line every day,” Cook said. “These additional investments in OFSC’s Fire and EMS Grant Program would help support the good work they do by helping departments recruit more first responders, update outdated equipment, provide additional training and more.”