Volunteer fire departments across the Susquehanna Valley are preparing to pound the pavement to raise money for training and equipment.
President George W. Bush's 2007 budget calls for deep cuts in aid to smaller fire departments. According to Campbelltown Fire Chief Bill Jurell in Lebanon County, state and federal grants make up at least one-third of volunteer departments budgets. The rest of the money comes from a fire tax and fundraisers, such as bingo.
But a change in funding strategy by the Department of Homeland Security is going to put a bigger financial burden on the departments.
Jurell will soon replace a 23-year old tanker truck with a new one, thanks to federal dollars from the Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program. But it might be the last big equipment purchase for a while. According to a representative with the Department of Homeland Security, federal aid to volunteer departments is shrinking.
In 2005, Congress appropriated more than $700 million in grants. Bush has proposed only about $300 million for next year's budget.
"Without getting grants, we're gong to have to do more fundraising or the township is going to have to give us more or residents and we try to avoid that as much as possible," Jurell said.
Cambelltown's yearly budget is about $325,000. Jurell said equipment is expensive and so is training, something firefighters are required to take more of each year.
According to the Department of Homeleand Security, its giving more money to "at risk" departments, bigger city departments that face a bigger terrorism risk.
Copyright 2006 by WGAL.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
