Grange donates to volunteer fire companies
MONTGOMERY — Eagle Grange No. 1 gave $1,500 to local volunteer fire companies at a ceremony Tuesday.
Washington and Clinton townships and Montgomery Borough volunteer fire companies each received $500.
Jeffrey L. Hutchins, director of public safety in Lycoming County, said there are few ways for volunteers to secure money for their invaluable service.
“Fire departments find themselves in a strange financial position. They offer services that are essential to the wellbeing of the community, who rarely set aside substantial amounts of money,” he said.
The price of turnout gear, radios and other equipment are continually raised, while many of the fundraisers during the COVID-19 pandemic, such as carnivals, social hall rentals, gun raffles or chicken barbeques have been cancelled.
Many times, volunteers spend more time organizing those events than on training and certification.
“I, personally, would rather see a volunteer train but the lights have to stay on,” he said. “Each company needs to be run like a business and face paying utilities, fuel, insurances, staffing and various vehicles.”
While municipalities routinely make donations, However some are being held during the pandemic to ensure taxes aren’t raised too high.
Private club or business donations, like ones Eagle Grange No. 1 provides, are essential in keeping the volunteer companies open, he said.
“Everyone is faced with uncertainty. With personal finances and employment. Municipalities are facing uncertainties about tax revenue,” said Hutchins. “All of these flow over and decreased the amount of support both physically and financially to volunteers.”
Lycoming County commissioners Scott Metzger and Tony Mussare each said neither the county nor municipalities had the money to support paid fire departments and those volunteers are staples in their communities.
At one point, Mussare said he asked a volunteer firefighter why he worked so hard when there wasn’t any money to be made in the business, but was quickly “put down.”
“They said we’re here to serve the people that we live with,” he said. “They’re there to serve their community and there’s no greater honor.”
Mussare said he hopes that the number of volunteers will increase in the future.
“If there is one blessing that COVID-19 may give us, is that sense of family and community again. Now that we’re staying at home, that we’re getting to know each other, we’re seeing the value of becoming part of this community,” he said.
Metzger said he understood public service through his time working at adult probation and his family’s participation in the field.
“You do it because it’s in you, it’s a part of you, it’s who you are. You want to serve the community, you want to give back,” he said. “We don’t have the money to pay for a fire company… They’re not paid but their services are priceless, absolutely priceless, and how they support themselves is beyond creative.”
Todd Winder and Cory Bierly, chief and president of Clinton Township Volunteer Fire Company, as well as Brett and Katie Ulrich, chief and assistant chief of Washington Township Volunteer Fire, respectively, were present to accept the grants.
There was no representative of Montgomery Volunteer Fire Company present.
Katie Ulrich said the money will go towards building a truck that can function for both emergency medical support and some rescues.
“(The donation) definitely puts everything in place when we get this truck home,” she said.
Winder said his company covered 98.3 square miles and responds to 700 calls a year.
Since a tragic car crash into a river, he said the company has worked tirelessly to provide everything the community needs.
“From that point forward, our chief said we were never going to rely on somebody else, so that’s been the mantra that our department has had,” he said as he thanked the grange for their work in supporting them.
“I cannot say how grateful we are that you guys have selected to do this,” he said. “We know how hard it is to raise $500, so I can imagine how difficult it was for your organization.”