Coronavirus In Pennsylvania: Local Fire Departments Facing Financial Troubles Due To Decrease In Fundraising
BUTLER COUNTY (KDKA) -- The coronavirus outbreak continues to drain the finances of fire stations across the region
Fire stations are putting safety first by purchasing protective equipment and implementing twice-daily decontamination and paid sick leave.
But that all comes at a cost.
KDKA's Meghan Schiller learned expenses keep rising while fundraising efforts and tax revenue plummet.
Whether you're talking about a department with paid, career firefighters, or a volunteer fire company - they all tell KDKA that the money isn't there.
Harmony Borough Volunteer firefighters battle storms and deal with terrible flooding, but all is calm amidst the coronavirus pandemic.
"It was more than half - it was significantly decreased," said Chief Scott Garing, Harmony Fire District. "I would even venture to say it's gone to a quarter or less of what they normally were"
He's talking about fire calls.
Garing said they've significantly declined, along with the money.
"Where we're going to lose our funds is on the tail end of this thing," said Chief Garing.
The bleeding in the budget started weeks ago. First, the costly protective equipment and then the loss of fundraising dollars.
"We're going to lose our raffle. Our raffle for the fire department that we do one time of a year. We do a car," said Garing.
He told KDKA that senior citizens usually volunteer to sell the tickets in person along Main Street, and he can't in ask them to do that amid the coronavirus pandemic.
"We're looking at a projected loss of $50-70,000 of income in that out of our budget," Garing said.
More information on the Coronavirus pandemic:
- CDC Coronavirus Information
- CDC Global Map of Confirmed COVID-19 Cases
- Pennsylvania Department of Health Information
- Allegheny County Health Department Information
Plus, the $10,000 he plans to lose with the flyers in the mail, asking for donations from the community.
"You're not going to donate money to your local fire department because you don't have a job and we understand that. You have to take care of your family first," said Chief Garing.
It's no different many miles south in Washington County.
"We have spent a lot of money on hand sanitizer, gowns, and N95 masks," said Chief Mark Grimm of the North Strabane Fire Department.
Chief Grimm hopes to get a refund from the state or federal government for all the PPE that he didn't end up using. He's keeping his part-time firefighters at home to save money and his operating budget got cut by 12 percent.
"Roughly a little over $100,000. Our capital is frozen so there's some projects, computer projects, station upgrades, everything is put on hold right now," said Chief Grimm.
All while his department sits quietly and very clean.
"We're averaging 8-10 calls a day," he said. "And you go from that down to 1-2, and some days it was zero. Your life changes drastically."
