East Deer fire company wants to be able to bill for services

April 10--East Deer commissioners will vote Thursday on a proposed ordinance that would give East Deer Volunteer Hose Company the authority to bill insurance companies for costs incurred during emergency calls.

Chief Jack Bailie said his fire company regularly responds to traffic accidents on Route 28, which can be costly if they require fuel or oil cleanup. He said the company wants to start billing for those calls in an effort to get insurance companies to finance such expenses.

"We're going to bill everybody, and then we get what we get back," Bailie said.

Before it can bill anyone, the fire company must get authority from the township.

Commissioners Chairman Tony Taliani said there wouldn't be any cost to the township under the proposal.

"We want to give them the ability to be able to bill the insurance companies and so forth for the cost of their services," he said. "We support their effort in trying to collect some of these funds."

Bailie said that if firefighters have to clean up a fuel or oil spill, it can cost anywhere from a few hundred dollars to thousands of dollars, depending how bad it is.

"That's all coming out of our pocket," he said.

Bailie said the fire company, which relies mostly on donations to operate, is just trying to recoup some of what it spends.

Bailie said the fire company's annual budget is about $20,000 or less. The township pays for insurance and gives an allotment for fuel each year.

"(Funding) is not coming in like it used to 10 years ago to help," he said. "We're not looking to make a lot of money, just trying to help offset costs."

The fire company will likely have to replace its fire truck in the next few years, which can cost up to $500,000, Bailey said.

The company suspended its ambulance service at the beginning of this year because of rising costs. Bailie said plans are under way to sell some of that equipment to make back some of the money spent keeping the ambulance in operation over the years. Bailie has said previously the company spent about $25,000.

Emily Balser is a Tribune-Review staff writer. Reach her at 724-226-4680, emilybalser@tribweb.com or via Twitter @emilybalser.

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