The Strawpump Volunteer Fire Department regained its status this week as the primary responder for its service area in eastern North Huntingdon, 18 months after its territory was split between two neighboring departments following a poor insurance rating.
“We are just excited to be the primary fire service for our community again,” Strawpump fire Chief Ryan Senica said after township commissioners voted unanimously Wednesday to reinstate the department.
Senica told commissioners last week that the insurance rating service, Verisk Analytics Inc., indicated the department has a pathway to a rating of 5 — the midpoint on a scale of 1 (best) to 10. However, the service could not finalize the grade until Strawpump was designated as the primary responder for its territory.
Senica said the department has now met all township standards for reinstatement.
Commissioners split Strawpump’s territory between the Westmoreland City and Fairmont-Hahntown fire departments in November 2024 after Strawpump’s protection rating fell to a 10. That decline caused insurance premiums to rise for homeowners within the department’s jurisdiction.
At the time, officials promised that if the department improved its rating to a suitable grade, it would regain its primary status.
Michael Doshen of the Westmoreland City Fire Department said in a statement that Strawpump met the township’s minimum compliance standards by achieving the 5 rating.
Township manager Harry Faulk said commissioners will vote next month on a proposal to grant Strawpump its full allocation of fire service funding. Previously, the department received only half of its allocation while it worked to meet the township’s standards.
In a related matter, commissioners appointed board members Jason Atwood, Zachary Haigis and Ronald Zona to a newly formed fire services feasibility study. The commissioners and a township administrator will serve as nonvoting members, though any committee recommendations for fire protection changes must be approved by the board.
“We must move forward with a system grounded in measurable metrics, consistent standards, accountability and well-trained, capable firefighters across all departments,” Doshen stated.