By Mark Gilger Jr.
Republican & Herald
POTTSVILLE, Pa. — Each of the 115 fire companies and volunteer ambulance services in Schuylkill County received some financial help as part of the Pennsylvania Fire Company and Ambulance Service Grant Program.
When the application period closed on Oct. 24, there were 2,570 eligible fire and EMS organizations that asked for grant funding and 2,535 were approved. Fire companies received a total of $26,400,000 and volunteer ambulance services received $3,600,000.
“It is very important and it helps sustain many fire companies,” John Matz, Schuylkill County Emergency Management Agency coordinator, said Tuesday.
The program allows each fire company to spend the funding as it seems fit, which is useful since Matz said each situation is different. The grant also takes some pressure off fundraising efforts.
“Any money the fire companies can get without doing any fundraisers is a help,” Todd March, Pottsville fire chief, said.
There are seven fire companies in the city.
“It costs so much money to run a fire company today, every little bit helps,” March said.
The grant program is funded by gaming proceeds and is administered through the state Office of the Fire Commissioner within the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency. Grant money can be used to build, repair or renovate a fire company or ambulance service’s primary structure; purchase or repair firefighting, ambulance or rescue equipment; participate in training seminars and workshops; or help pay the organization’s debt.
Schuylkill County fire companies received an average of about $13,000 while volunteer ambulance services received about $7,000.
State Rep. Mike Tobash, R-125, made the announcement Friday that 39 fire responder units in his legislative district in Berks and Schuylkill counties.
“Our emergency responders are on the front lines when it comes to dangerous situations in our area,” Tobash said. “A lot of times the money they work so hard to raise throughout the year gets put back into our communities, leaving each unit with little to make necessary updates they could use to better serve the public. I applaud the stations in our district who took the initiative to get approved for this funding.”
The following fire and emergency medical services were awarded the following amounts:
Berks County
- Hamburg Volunteer Forest Fire Crew Inc., Hamburg, $12,441.48
- Schuylkill Valley Emergency Medical Services, Leesport, $7,091.40
- Union Fire Company No.. 1, Leesport, $13,619.31
- Union Fire Company No.. 1, Hamburg, $13,280.70
Schuylkill County
- Alert Fire Company No. 1, Saint Clair, $12,647.24
- Altamont Fire Company 1, Frackville, $12,889.44
- American Fire Company No. 1, Ashland, $13,295.29
- American Hose Company 1, Tamaqua, $13,619.31
- American Hose Company 2, Mahanoy Plane, $13,619.31
- American Hose Company 2, Pottsville, $13,619.31
- American Hose Company, Ashland, $12,568.66
- Auburn Fire Company, Auburn, $12,161.20
- Auburn Fire Company Ambulance Service, Auburn, $7,091.40
- Brockton Volunteer Fire Company, Tamaqua, $12,320.78
- Citizens Fire Company - Palo Alto, Pottsville, $13,133.27
- Citizens Fire Company 2, Mahanoy City, $13,373.05
- Citizens Fire Company, Tamaqua, $13,619.31
- Citizens Fire Company, Middleport, $12,000.00
- Citizens Fire Company Branchdale, Branchdale, $13,133.27
- Coaldale Volunteer Fire Company No. 1, Coaldale, $12,809.25
- Columbia Hose and Steam Fire Company No. 1, Shenandoah, $13,133.27
- Columbia Hose Company No. 2, Saint Clair, $13,019.05
- Community Fire Company New Ringgold, New Ringgold, $12,809.25
- Community Fire Company No. 1 of Landingville, Landingville, $12,000.00
- Cressona Fire Company No. 1, Cressona, $12,000.00
- Deer Lake & West Brunswick Fire Company No. 1, Orwigsburg, $12,809.25
- Defender Hose Company, Shenandoah, $11,138.00
- Donaldson Fire Company No. 1, Donaldson, $12,972.07
- East End Fire Company, Tamaqua, $12,800.34
- East End Fire Company No. 2, Pottsville, $12,161.20
- East Norwegian Township Fire, Pottsville, $15,000.00
- Frackville Community Ambulance Association, Frackville, $7,091.40
- Friedensburg Fire Company, Friedensburg, $12,000.00
- Friendship Fire Company No. 1 of Englewood, Frackville, $13,619.31
- Friendship Hose Company No. 1, Orwigsburg, $13,520.48
- Girard Hose Company No. 1, Girardville, $12,000.00
- Girardville Ambulance Service Inc., Girardville, $7,080.76
- Good American Hose Company, Mahanoy City, $12,809.25
- Good Intent Fire Company, New Philadelphia, $13,133.27
- Good Intent Hose Company No. 1, Llewellyn, $13,619.31
- Good Will Fire Company No. 1, Minersville, $12,972.07
- Good Will Fire Company No. 1, Minersville, $7,091.40
- Good Will Hose Company No. 1, Frackville, $13,619.31
- Good Will Hose Company of Cumbola, Cumbola, $12,486.03
- Goodwill Fire Company No. 1, Port Carbon, $13,619.31
- Goodwill Fire Company No. 4, Pottsville, $12,647.24
- Goodwill Hose Company, Cressona, $12,000.00
- Hegins Area Ambulance Association Inc., Valley View, $7,091.40
- Hegins Fire Company, Hegins, $12,161.20
- Heights Fire Company No. 1, Shenandoah, $12,072.09
- Hometown Fire Company No. 1, Tamaqua, $12,486.03
- Humane Fire Company No. 1, Mahanoy City, $11,048.00
- Humane Fire Company No. 1 of Pottsville, Pottsville, $13,133.27
- Joliett Volunteer Fire Company, Joliett, $12,000.00
- Kaska Volunteer Fire Company, New Philadelphia, $12,323.21
- Klingerstown Fire Company No. 1, Klingerstown, $12,647.24
- Lavelle Volunteer Fire Company, Lavelle, $12,486.03
- Locust Dale Volunteer Fire Company, Locust Dale, $12,000.00
- Lost Creek Community Ambulance Association, Lost Creek, $7,091.40
- Mahanoy City Emergency Medical Service, Mahanoy City, $7,091.40
- Mahantongo Valley Ambulance Association, Inc., Pitman, $7,055.94
- Mahantongo Valley Fire Company, Pitman, $12,000.00
- Mar Lin Citizens Hose Company, Mar Lin, $12,000.00
- MaryD Fire Company Inc., Mary D, $12,323.21
- McAdoo Fire Company Inc., McAdoo, $13,619.31
- McAdoo Fire Company Inc & Ambulance Association, McAdoo, $7,091.40
- Minersville Fire Rescue, Minersville, $27,239.43
- Mountaineer Hose Company, Minersville, $12,161.20
- Mount Pleasant Hose Company, Pottsville, $12,000.00
- Muir Volunteer Fire Company No. 1, Muir, $12,160.39
- New England Fire Company, Tamaqua, $13,133.27
- New Minersville Fire Company, Minersville, $12,486.03
- Newtown Volunteer Fire Company, Tremont, $12,161.20
- No. 1 Emergency & Rescue Squad, Tamaqua, $13,619.31
- North End Fire Company, Pine Grove, $13,619.31
- Nuremberg Community Ambulance Association Inc., Nuremberg, $7,091.40
- Orwin Fire Company, Tower City, $12,000.00
- Penn Mahoning Ambulance Association Inc., Andreas, $7,091.40
- Phoenix Fire Company No. 2, Pottsville, $13,619.31
- Phoenix Fire Company No. 2, Shenandoah, $13,133.27
- Pine Grove Community Ambulance Association, Pine Grove, $6,401.41
- Pine Grove Hose Hook & Ladder Company No. 1, Pine Grove, $12,972.07
- Polish American Fire Company, Shenandoah, $13,133.27
- Port Clinton Fire Company Inc., Port Clinton, $12,072.09
- Pottsville Area Emergency Medical Service Inc., Pottsville, $7,091.40
- Quakake Volunteer Fire Company Inc., Quakake, $12,000.00
- Rainbow Hose Company No. 1, Schuylkill Haven, $12,161.20
- Rangers Hose Company, Girardville, $12,809.25
- Ravine Fire Company No. 1, Pine Grove, $13,619.31
- Reinerton Volunteer Fire Company, Tower City, $12,000.00
- Rescue Hook & Ladder Company No. 1, Shenandoah, $13,619.31
- Rescue Hook & Ladder Fire Company No. 3, Saint Clair, $12,323.21
- Ringtown Valley Fire and Rescue Company, Ringtown, $12,809.25
- Ryan Township Emergency and Rescue, Barnesville, $7,091.40
- Ryan Township Fire Company, Barnesville, $13,619.31
- Sacramento Community Fire Company, Sacramento, $13,295.29
- Saint Clair Veterans Memorial Ambulance Fund, Saint Clair, $7,091.40
- Schuylkill Hose Company No. 2, Schuylkill Haven, $13,619.31
- Seltzer Hose Company, Seltzer, $12,323.21
- Shenandoah Community Ambulance, Shenandoah, $7,091.40
- Sheppton-Oneida Volunteer Fire Company, Sheppton, $13,619.31
- South Cass Citizens Fire Company, Pottsville, $12,000.00
- South Ward Fire Company Inc., Tamaqua, $13,619.31
- Summit Station Fire Company, Summit Station, $12,323.21
- Tremont Area Ambulance, Tremont, $7,091.40
- Tremont Fire Company No. 1, Tremont, $13,295.29
- Tuscarora Fire Company, Tuscarora, $13,619.31
- Valley View Fire Company, Valley View, $12,161.20
- Volunteer Fire Company No. 1 of Tower City, Tower City, $11,402.00
- Washington Fire Company Community Ambulance, Ashland, $7,087.15
- Washington Fire Company No. 1, Ashland, $13,458.11
- Washington Hook & Ladder No. 1, Mahanoy City, $13,295.29
- West End Fire & Rescue, Mahanoy City, $13,252.35
- West End Fire Company No. 5, Saint Clair, $12,000.00
- West End Fire Company No. 3, Tower City, $12,809.25
- West End Hose Company No. 7, Pottsville, $12,972.07
- West Penn Fire Company No. 1 Inc., New Ringgold, $12,323.21
- William Penn Fire Company No. 1, Shenandoah, $12,972.07
- Yorkville Hose & Fire Company No. 1, Pottsville, $13,619.31