Jun 4, 2013 By Cindy Lee Cumpston for The 2 min read

RICES LANDING — Ryan Belski, president of the Rices Landing Volunteer Fire Department and mayor of Rices Landing, recently served as master of ceremonies in the unveiling of the fire department’s new truck.

On May 16, at the Rices Landing VFD, the new 2013 Ford F-350 super-duty squad and brush truck was unveiled, and the department presented plaques to the supervisors of Jefferson and Cumberland townships.

“Thanks to the contributions from the Jefferson and Cumberland townships supervisors, we were able to purchase the new squad and brush truck,” Belski said.

Both townships used a portion of the proceeds they received through the natural gas drilling impact fee as a donation for the new truck.

According to the state Public Utility Commission’s unconventional gas well fund usage report, Cumberland Township allocated to public safety $535,200 of the total $1,039,586 received in the first installment of Act 13 revenue. Of the amount allocated to public safety, $196,000 was allocated to the four volunteer fire departments that serve the township; $10,000 of which went to the Rices Landing VFD toward the purchase of the new truck.

Jefferson Township made a donation of $15,000 to Rices Landing VFD toward the purchase of the new truck. Chairman Richard Tekavec said out of the $309,000 total amount Jefferson Township received in the first installment of Act 13 revenue, an equal amount was given to each of the three fire departments that serve the township.

Belski also said the department is seeking a grant that would equip the F-350 squad and brush truck with a skid unit to fight field fires.