Coronavirus shutdown causing financial crisis for volunteer fire departments

By JEFF STITT
jstitt@yourmvi.com
The economic shutdown due to the coronavirus is causing a financial crisis at volunteer fire departments.
The departments rely on Lenten fish fries and bingos to pay most of their operating costs.
Local volunteer fire department leaders agree that for the sake of public safety, it is necessary to cancel or postpone the fundraisers, but they caution that shuttering their fundraisers will cause long-term financial woes.
Pennsylvania’s volunteer fire departments are financially on their own. Some volunteer departments receive funding dedicated via municipal budgets, fire taxes and grant awards.
But, that money only goes so far.
Volunteer firefighters, within limits, are required by law to have the same training as their paid counterparts, but are often responsible for paying for that training out of their own pockets. They often work with neighboring departments and agencies to cover costs.
Additionally, volunteer fire departments are responsible for paying for insurance, purchasing equipment and for raising money or obtaining loans/grants for vehicles such as fire trucks and engines, which can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Local fire departments rely on state and federal grants, municipal funding, loans that must be paid back and year-round fundraising.
To ensure they have enough funds to last throughout the year, many local fire departments host bingos, fish fries, carnivals, competitions and festivals; sell raffle tickets and hold other events throughout the year. The cancellation of many of those events as a result of the coronavirus has area fire department chiefs and officers wondering what they’ll do to make ends meet.
Carroll Township Volunteer Fire Department is just one of many struggling Mon Valley fire departments.
Carroll Township VFD secretary Casey Perrotta said the department has had to cancel five of its weekly bingos and a cash-bash fundraiser as a result of COVID-19 prevention measures. He said the department typically makes between $900 and $1,000 per week from the bingos.
“Right there —with canceling five bingos – we lost $5,000 income,” he said.
Perrotta said the losses will be hard to make up and that “right now, there is pretty much nothing we can do to make it up.”
He said the department’s annual solicitation drive — which began in August — will soon come to a close.
“We still have a few funds trickling in from that, but it’s coming to a close and other than that our next solicitation fund drive won’t start up again until July or August,” Perrotta said. “With people not working right now, we don’t know what to expect from the fund drive. Someone who previously might have donated $100 might only be able to give $25 when this is all said and done. We just don’t know.”
He said missing out on thousands of dollars worth of fundraising proceeds hurts the department in critical ways.
“We pay our own utilities, not just for one building, but for two buildings,” Perrotta said. “We have to pay utilities for the station and for the social hall, and we’re missing out on profits from renting out the social hall because people have postponed or canceled their weddings and events. We’re losing out on a lot.”
In a Facebook post, the department is stated it is “on thin ice.”
“You keep seeing and hearing, that we are in uncertain times. We are sure it often gets tiring,” the post states. “As we move forward, the ice from under us is starting to crack. As you know, our fundraisers have come too a screeching halt. We rely on such fund raisers for fuel, equipment, training, turnout gear, you name it. We are not a tax-funded fire department. Without an income we will eventually run out. … We give 110% for you, your family and your property. If you can, give a little back. Anything helps even a honk, a smile, and a wave as you see us out.”
Perrotta said the department is asking township residents who can afford to do so to mail donation checks or money orders to the fire department. He said checks can also be dropped off at the fire station and that residents can also donate via PayPal to CarrollT.VFD@comcast.net.
The department is also asking residents who have “creative” ideas for fundraisers that can be executed in the midst of social distancing and stay-at-home orders to message the department on Facebook or call 724-379-5050.
In Allegheny County, he Volunteer Firemen’s Association of Liberty Borough canceled its spring craft and vendor show, Family Feud trivia game and fish fry fundraisers.
“These cancellations will significantly affect our fundraising income for our 100% volunteer fire department, but we need to be focused on protecting our residents and our members,” the department said in a letter to borough residents. “It is important for us to still be able to respond to local emergencies in our area, and we would not be able to do that if we become ill or need to quarantine ourselves.”
Treasurer Zachary Allan say their main focus during these unprecedented times is to provide protection for the community and “will work on additional fundraising efforts when possible to recover the lost income from these events.”
Liberty borough’s fire department is offering refunds to crafters and vendors who were slated to participate in the annual fair and to businesses that paid for advertisements on fish fry menus and place mats.
Other Mon Valley volunteer fire departments that have had to cancel fish frys, bingos or at least one fundraisers as a result of coronavirus precautions include but aren’t limited to Charleroi, Elizabeth borough, Fallowfield, Roscoe, Stockdale, Washington Township, Rostraver No. 1 (Webster) and White Oak volunteer fire departments.
Charleroi fire Chief Robert Whiten Jr. said his department canceled two of its fish frys as a precaution, and that the annual Charleroi-Monessen cash bash that was scheduled for next month is canceled.
Whiten estimates the casg bash brings in about $5,000 annually.
“I’d estimate we lost around $4,000 on the fish frys, so there’s $9,000 we lost in maybe a month’s time,” he said. “Then we have our annual fund drive mailer out there and it’s doing horrible. We’re maybe getting one, maybe three of them back a day and there have been a couple days we didn’t get any coming in.
“We understand that there is no money out there right now and are just thinking to ourselves: ‘Of all times for this corona-thing to come around.”
Whiten said he is grateful to those who have been able to give monetary donations.
“I also praise our borough council,” Whiten said. “They’ve stepped in when we needed something and if it wasn’t for them we would be up a creek. They could come to us and say ‘we’re not giving anything,’ but they take care of us if they can find money in the budget to do so.”
Many fire departments hosted take-out only fish fries for the Lenten season, but many canceled even those events as the pandemic has worsened over the past few weeks.
Rainbow Volunteer Fire Company in White Oak chose to operate five of its seven annual Lenten fish fries on a take-out basis, but elected to cancel the final two events, including the Good Friday event.
“This was not a decision that was made lightly however it was deemed to be in the best interest of all,” Rainbow VFC said in a prepared statement. “We thank you all for your support and we hope to see you next year for the fish fry. Take care of each other out there and if there is any reason you need the fire department, you know the number to call.”
Rostraver Central, along with partnering organization Rostraver West Newton EMS, recently announced that its annual sportsman’s bash has been rescheduled for June 6. All current tickets will be honored as printed and will not need to be reissued. There is no change to the format of the event, which is slated to be held from 11 a.m to 6 p.m. at the Rostraver Ice Gardes.
Elizabeth Borough VFC has also elected to postpone its sportsman’s bash until further notice in hopes that funds can be raised after stay-at-home orders have been lessened or dropped.
North Belle Vernon Fire Department is trying a new approach to fundraising during the COVID-19 pandemic. Firefighters will be holding a drive-through hoagie sale 10 a.m. Saturday at the fire station, 535 Graham St. Hoagies are $8.
The International Association of Fire Chiefs and the International Association of Fire Fighters are urging volunteer departments to apply for funds through the 2020 Homeland Security Grant Program and the FEMA Public Assistance Grant Program at www.usfa.fema.gov/coronavirus/public_assistance_grants. IAFC is also calling on local fire chiefs to visit www.iafc.org/topics-and-tools/coronavirus-covid-19 and fill out the PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) readiness and availability survey to help document the need for additional federal funding for fire/EMS response to COVID-19.

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