PA Firefighters: Criticism Hurts Recruitment, Fundraising

Delmont firefighters say an ongoing rift between themselves and borough council has stymied fundraising and recruitment efforts.

“It’s completely unnecessary, but they keep bashing our fire department. We’ve been trying to build this department back up for two years after the past problems of the previous (fire department) leadership, and (council) keeps bringing up the past and it’s hurting us,” said Delmont’s Chief Rich Balik.

Balik, and Bill Walk, a fire department captain and trustee, said the department that provides coverage of 2,500 people and a portion of Route 66 survives on fundraisers, raffles, fire hall rentals, bingo events, and other community donations.

“We usually raise $8,000 to $10,000 on the two or three gun bashes a year we hold. This last one (Aug. 24), we only raised $2,500,” Balik said.

Walk noted that council has not committed any tax dollars to fire department operations in recent years, and a recent request to institute a fire tax was rebuffed by council.

In recent weeks, a dispute that raised the volunteers’ ire was a post on a Delmont community social media site that questioned the volume on the decades-old fire siren outside the Delmont station off Route 66 and the duration of the alarms.

Council vice president Bill Marx confirmed he posted the item that also linked to an Oct. 10 Tribune-Review article about Hempfield Township residents’ similar concerns over the decibel level of the West Point Volunteer Fire Department’s siren.

“It’s been an issue brought before council before, and I posted it hoping to start a community discussion … if they’re paranoid about it, so be it,” Marx said.

Marx, who lives within earshot of the fire station, said firefighters often do not immediately respond to the station causing the blaring siren to repeat a 3-minute cycle. Marx argued there is available technology to remedy the problem.

A year ago, Marx published an article in an area weekly newspaper saying fire department leaders refused council’s efforts to document how the department maintains its equipment and trains firefighters and to divulge its budgeting.

“They also do not even attend council’s public safety meetings,” Marx said.

Marx said, in light of the mismanagement allegations levied in 2018 against four former officers charged with theft by county detectives, the community and council deserve more transparency from the department. The four officers, who have since been replaced, denied wrongdoing and are awaiting trial.

Council president Andrew Shissler said he doesn’t think council is “picking” on the fire department. He added council designates several thousand dollars a year from its local service tax to the fire department.

“We have received several complaints from residents about the siren … that it is too loud and continues too long and have spoken with the (the fire department) about that issue,” Shissler said

Shissler added that, in light of the 2018 allegations against the fire department, he agrees more transparency is needed concerning fire department operations.

Former fire Chief Logan Clark, 36; his wife, Heather Clark, 36; former fire department treasurer Jason G. Thomas, 38; and Timothy Bucciarelli, 61, are charged with theft for allegedly using department funds for personal benefit. A review of nearly four years of department finances led to allegations that the group misspent $60,000, according to documents filed by Westmoreland County Det. Paul Burkey.

Marx also disputed claims by fire department supporters that the borough does not contribute to fire operations. He noted the borough paid $8,575 to cover workman’s compensation insurance for firefighters.

Balik countered that, after the department heard about complaints concerning the siren, he looked into it and the replacement of the controller would cost “about $5,000.” He said the siren is supposed to automatically turn off after four minutes, but complaints by residents contained in council minutes allege that the repeat cycle often continues much longer.

“The new equipment would reduce the time cycle, but not the decibel level,” Balik said.

He also argued that, with the department’s current financial situation, “it’s not a priority… we just don’t have the money for that.

“We’ve got to pay our utility bills. Our rescue truck has to be certified… that will be over $3,500 with repairs,” Balik said.

First assistant chief and department President Don Cline agreed the department does not have the money for repairs to the siren with “more vital” equipment and vehicle needs.

“We don’t have that kind of money. Our newest ladder truck is from 1993,” Cline said.

“I can tell you it really bothers the guys when people say negative things like this,” Cline said.

As for not sending a representative to council’s public safety meetings, Balik said “we have about 17 active members and we all have jobs.”

“Council has these meetings at 9 a.m. and I’ve asked them to move it to night but they won’t,” he said.

“I was hoping, after a meeting last year, we could have moved on, but it hasn’t,” Balik lamented.

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