State officials say volunteer firefighters save Pennsylvania municipalities about $10 billion a year.
And, while departments across the country struggle with membership and finances, they are worth the work of keeping alive, Blawnox fire President Mike Yonas said.
His department, with more than a century serving the small river town, is joining the two O’Hara volunteer fire companies to initiate a recruitment and retention plan.
The trio received nearly $1 million from the Federal Emergency Management Agency through a Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) grant.
“Being a volunteer firefighter is an important and demanding job,” Blawnox fire Chief Jeff Stephens said. “In the current economic climate, it is difficult to recruit and retain good volunteers to perform this work.”
Local fire officials hope the grant will help thwart the trend of declining membership.
The number of volunteer firefighters in Pennsylvania has plummeted 90% since the 1970s. There were about 370,000 then and the number hovers at 38,000 today.
Experts have pointed to time constraints, less shift work and busier social calendars for the drop in volunteers.
Stephens said the money is not being used to study a merger.
“Not in any way,” he said. “This is just an exciting opportunity to find ways to work together and bring new people in.”
Yonas said money will be spent on incentive programs for both existing and new members.
“There might be a small financial incentive for current members, based on a point system, where they receive up to $600 for hours served in response, training or other community events,” Yonas said.
For newcomers, the grant will pay for a physical and a full set of turnout gear, which includes pants, gloves, boots and coats that can run up to $4,000.
“We strive to be a professional, unpaid service,” Yonas said. “We are on call 24/7 and we have lots of systems to prevent spending redundancy, but the costs are there.”
Parkview and Pleasant Valley each have been serving O’Hara since the early 1900s.
Ed Michalowski, Pleasant Valley chief, said he is excited about the possibilities the grant brings.
“We are ready to welcome new volunteers and also deepen partnership and collaboration with other regional fire departments,” Michalowski said.
At Pleasant Valley’s station on Kittanning Pike, module training will be hosted for departments across the region.
Yonas said large-scale events are an opportunity to leverage the grant and work more closely with Allegheny Valley and Oakmont fire departments, among others.
“We want to stretch these dollars to be supportive of the larger effort,” he said.
The SAFER grant is administered by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security in cooperation with the U.S. Fire Administration.
According to a report from the state House Republican Caucus, there are nearly 2,500 fire companies in Pennsylvania and 90% are volunteer.
Yonas said call volume has more than tripled in the last 35 years, largely because of the increase in emergency medical calls.
With the grant money, the departments will also help launch a local media blitz, stipends and educational events.
Adapt Management has been hired to coordinate grant implementation.
People don’t have to run into fires to be part of the department. Yonas said they hope to attract people of all ages from the broader community for jobs like accounting, event planning and more.
“There’s room for everyone to help us thrive,” he said.
The three departments plan to implement outreach programs at Fox Chapel Area schools to recruit junior members and possibly revamp their online presence through redesigned websites.
They hope to bring in up to 50 new members combined.
“There are many rewards to being a volunteer firefighter,” Stephens said. “You get the opportunity to serve and support your community, develop lifelong skills, friendships and networks, not to mention the physical and mental health benefits.”