A Handful Of Western Montco Fire & EMS Companies Have Been Awarded $190K In State Grants

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, PA — A number of central and western Montgomery County fire and emergency medical services companies have been awarded state grants totaling nearly $190,000.

State Rep. Joe Ciresi, D-146, announced Thursday that a total of 11 fire and EMS organizations within his district were awarded funding in the amount of $189,975 through Pennsylvania's Fire Company and Emergency Medical Services Grant Program.

"Our fire and EMS companies daily put their lives on the line to save ours, especially during the pandemic," Ciresi said in a statement. "As our fire and EMS services have suffered doubly from the impact of both the pandemic and weakened financial circumstances, they will be bolstered by the injection of these necessary funds so they can continue providing essential and often lifesaving services to our community."

Pennsylvania's Fire Company and Emergency Medical Services Grant Program is administered by the Office of State Fire Commissioner and each year makes grant dollars available to both volunteer and career fire departments, emergency medical services organizations and rescue squads.

Eligible projects for the program include facility upgrades, equipment purchases, debt reduction, training, education and public outreach, recruitment and retention, construction savings account, overtime costs associated with backfilling positions while firefighters attend training (for career departments only), and revenue loss due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the office of Gov. Tom Wolf.

"Fire and EMS companies are depended upon by Pennsylvanians each and every day to provide essential and often lifesaving services," Wolf said in a statement. "We know that these organizations continue to experience negative impacts related to the COVID-19 pandemic and some are struggling financially. Grant programs like these are vital financial lifelines."

In his own statement, Pennsylvania's acting state fire commissioner, Thomas Cook, said the funding comes in handy especially during the time of a global pandemic.

"Increased call volume, rising costs, and revenue loss have each made operations more difficult for our first responders," Cook stated. "As such, our office is pleased to help get financial assistance into communities across the state."

In the 146th Legislative District in Montgomery County, the following organizations were awarded grant dollars:

Empire Hook & Ladder Co. 1 — $15,000

Friendship HLH&A Inc. — $8,325

Goodwill Steam Fire Engine Co. 1 — $23,325

Limerick Fire Department — $30,000

North End Fire Co. No. 1 of Pottstown — $15,000

Perkiomen Township Fire Co. 1 — $15,000

Philadelphia Steam Fire Engine Co. 1 — $15,000

Ringing Hill Fire Co. — $15,000

Royersford Fire Department — $15,000

Sanatoga Fire Co. — $15,000

Trappe Fire Co. No. 1 — $23,325

The 146th Legislative District includes the following Montgomery County municipalities:

Limerick, Lower Pottsgrove and Perkiomen Townships, as well as parts of the Boroughs of Pottstown, Royersford and Trappe.