Bill would provide help to fire companies
About $50 million in grant money would be available to help support volunteer fire and ambulance services in the state thanks to Democratic legislation that passed the state House on Tuesday. House Majority Leader H. William DeWeese, D-Waynesburg, and Whip Keith McCall announced passage of the legislation.
“In rural parts of the state like the district I serve, volunteer firefighters and emergency medical personnel are literally the difference between life and death for the people,” DeWeese said. “We can never repay the brave men and women who give their time and put their lives on the line to protect the lives and property of their neighbors, but we must do what we can to help keep those engines, trucks and ambulances rolling and our volunteers outfitted with the best protective gear possible – this legislation does just that and that is why the Democratic Caucus stood as one to unanimously approve this grant program.”
The legislation, House Bill 906
, was sponsored by freshman Democratic lawmaker Bryan Lentz of Delaware County, and establishes the Volunteer Fire Company and Volunteer Ambulance Service Grant Act. The measure would create a $25 million annual fund to provide grants of up to $15,000 to every eligible fire company and $10,000 to every eligible ambulance company in the state that applies. The grants can be used to build or repair a company’s primary structure, purchase or repair firefighting or rescue equipment, pay for training or reduce debt.
Lentz’s proposal uses gaming money for this year to double the available funds to $50 million – providing grants of up to $30,000 for fire companies and $20,000 for ambulance companies. The bill also funds the program for a full five years, preventing annual attempts by some lawmakers to stop the grants.