Beaver County volunteer fire relief associations get $729,000 in funding

Nov. 13--Beaver County volunteer firefighters relief associations will receive about $729,000 in funding for training and equipment while those in Lawrence County will collect more than $300,000, Pennsylvania Auditor General Eugene DePasquale said Tuesday.

Overall, DePasquale said his office was releasing $55 million in fire relief association funding to 2,518 municipalities across the state. Allegheny County relief associations will get $4.5 million, the second most in the state, while Montgomery County will receive the most with $5.7 million.

"This money is vital in helping volunteer firefighters who save lives and protect property," DePasquale said in a statement. "These funds will benefit communities statewide by helping to purchase life-saving equipment, fund critical training, and provide insurance for thousands of volunteer firefighters and emergency service providers."

Funding for the associations comes from a 2 percent state tax on fire insurance premiums purchased by state residents from out-of-state insurance companies. DePasquale's department audits relief associations.

This year marks the first time that all municipalities submitted their requests for funding on time, said DePasquale, who attributed that to his office's efforts to "streamline the process" for submissions.

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