Creative answers to problems
This is the second part of a two part series. Read the first part here.Chuck Dohn has done it all since joining the ranks of the Cranberry Township Volunteer Fire Company in 1977.The former assistant chief has spent decades battling fires and responding to calls. Perhaps most interesting, however, is the amount of time he spent as fundraiser for the department.“We had carnivals, we had bingos, we had raffles,” he recalled.That was until 1982, when the department entered into an agreement with the township that allowed for more financial flexibility and freedom.“That is the foundation that changed everything here,” said Dave Gallagher, chief of fire and emergency services for the department.More local government interaction is just one of 27 recommendations listed in a report released last week regarding the problems facing fire and EMS departments across the state. It concluded that funding and volunteers are lacking, creating a great need for many departments.
The solutions include everything from incentivizing people to volunteer to making the reorganization process smoother. It also touches on local government involvement, which Gallagher said has proved to be of the utmost importance — not just in Cranberry Township, but across the state.He said most department officials spend their days figuring out how to make a truck payment or afford new equipment. He said the agreement with the township, in which the municipality took ownership of the department's assets, buildings and fleet, has kept the department from dealing with those issues.“That's probably one of the greatest things that a municipality can do is to take that fundraising and financial burden off these guys, so that they can be firefighters and not professional fundraisers,” he said.Dohn said that time savings, even if minimal, can be life changing.“With response time, every second matters,” he said.
Jeff Gooch, fire risk reduction coordinator for the department, was one of the 39 members of the Senate Resolution 6 Committee who authored the state report. He said he believed the agreement between the township and the department gave him a unique perspective on how to make changes.“We wouldn't be where we are ... if we didn't have that municipal support,” he said. “A lot of other communities in this commonwealth, they don't, and they're fighting to try and get some of that now.”He added that the township also needs support from an administrative standpoint, providing a planning and development employee who reviews the maintenance of sprinkler and alarm systems at buildings in the township. Those calls take up a lot of time for the department, and making sure inspections are completed and systems are compliant cuts down on them.
The report also places a focus on incentives for volunteers, including the expansion of a tax credit option to 100 percent.Gov. Tom Wolf signed legislation in November 2016 that authorizes townships to grant tax credits to active fire and emergency medical services volunteers. Over the past year, many Butler County departments have put versions of the tax credit into place, giving firefighters up to $250 in credits.The plan suggests increasing the credit from 20 percent to 100 percent, and including school district and county taxes. Scott Garing, chief of the Harmony Volunteer Fire Department, said a robust increase in that program has been “a dream of mine.”Nathan Wulff, chief of the Unionville Fire Department and president of the Butler Fire Chief's Association, agreed, saying that while $250 in credits is a good start, it isn't enough for the commitment volunteers put in.“If you're trying to make financial incentives to be a volunteer firefighter, that falls way short,” he said. “It doesn't even come close to scratching the surface of the time we all put in.”Increased education, including trade and career programs, should be a focus and alternative funding sources could be offered to those providing state-approved training, according to the report.
The study notes that training requirements are “chasing candidates away,” specifically in rural areas. Changes to certification and training would help ease that burden, the report states.This also includes funding basic fire and EMS training at the state level, the report states. Employers also would be given incentives to encourage first responder training, and the report notes this would work similar to current National Guard training structures.Wulff noted that initial training to become a firefighter is pushing 200 hours.“That's a lot to ask of somebody,” he said.The report also suggests lowering the minimum age to complete training to 16 years. There is also an undefined focus on college loan forgiveness.Garing said these incentives could be helpful in solving the volunteer issue, as getting younger members interested early is key. He said while social media campaigns and visits to students at Seneca Valley High School have been slow in attracting new members, putting the idea of volunteering in teenagers' minds has long-term benefits.“If you add them at a young age, it shows a great benefit in them hanging around, probably for a lifetime,” he said, adding that he joined the department at age 16.Additionally, departments with colleges in their coverage areas should explore bunk-in programs, and all departments should look at junior or explorer programs.While Cranberry Township doesn't have a college or university, the department has recently focused on its live-in program, adding designated bunk spaces to the Haine and Park stations as part of a renovation project.Gooch said the renovation also includes the addition of a kitchen area, laundry services and a living room space, complete with new leather chairs. He said the goal is to give volunteers a space to gather, but also to minimize response times. He said the pilot program has been ongoing for a few weeks, but the results are already noticeable.“In the little bit of time, we've already seen a measurable difference from the time we get a call to the time we're able to get out the door,” he said.Although function is key, Gooch added that the space itself serves as an incentive.“We're looking at creating an atmosphere where people want to be here,” he said.The department has also taken steps to making training more manageable, creating pathways for those who are interested.He noted that there are volunteer positions for roles other than actively fighting fires, and different paths exist for different jobs. He said those positions often free up administrative staff and others to focus on seeking volunteers.“The key to successful volunteerism is having that flexibility to say there is a minimum set of requirements, and we're going to need you to have that training ... but within those boundaries, we're going to be as flexible as we can to get you here.”
Easier reorganization process is also recommended, as the report states that statutes and regulations make it difficult. Wulff said that reorganization has worked well for such departments as the Harmony and the Adams Area Fire District.However, he said that some rural departments in the county cover 40 square miles or more, with 10- to 15-minute commutes between stations. Even more, some departments cover multiple boroughs and even multiple counties, which can complicate matters.“Consolidation becomes more difficult when you're looking at different municipalities,” Wulff said. “Geographics make a big difference.”Currently, the Butler Township Department is going through the process of consolidating from three departments to one after having originally merged from five departments.The consolidation process in the township wasn't difficult, as commissioners and fire departments saw the manpower shortage problem building for years and decided to be proactive.“Definitely it was manpower driven,” said Dave Zarnick, chairman of the township commissioners. “They saw the need early on and didn't want to wait till the last minute. They decided to make the change instead of having change made upon them.”On Saturday, the three current departments began being dispatched as one department called the Butler Township Volunteer Fire District.“The reason we decided to continue to merge (is that) we recognized the challenges in front of us and we want to stay ahead of it as best we can,” said Dave Bestwick, chief of the former Butler Township Volunteer Fire District 3.He said his station is happy to have 58 active firefighters.“We're very fortunate to have the manpower we do. Manpower is always a concern. We're fortunate, but long term it is always an issue.“That's why were going to merge now before we have a crisis,” Bestwick said.All three departments, District 3, District 7 and the Mercer Road Volunteer Fire Department, and the commissioners approved the merger. The paperwork to combine the departments has been sent to the state fire commissioner's office, where it must be approved for the merger to become official.“Thankfully everybody was on board,” Bestwick said.Garing said the creation of the Harmony department from Zelienople and Harmony boroughs and Jackson and Lancaster townships was smooth, and overall the department is stronger as a result.He added that the department also works alongside the Adams, Evans City, Cranberry and Callery fire departments and Cranberry EMS as part of the Standard Actions for Emergency Response (SAFER) Group — a partnership that he said has worked well for all involved.“We tried to address the fact that we don't know staffing, and we can't plan for the worse possible time — daylight in the middle of the week,” Garing said. “We joined together to make sure no matter what I can provide, I have an adequate backup.”Garing and Wulff said the SAFER Group shows the type of collaborative effort that departments can and must use to ensure the safety of their residents.“It's not about what's best for me,” Garing said. “It's about what's best for the citizens.”Wulff agreed, adding that change in the way departments operate and are structured can be difficult, especially in areas where those departments have a long history.“It's a tough balancing act, because we want to save traditions ... but at the same time, we're there to provide a service,” Wulff said. “We need to keep what is best for the people we serve above all else.”Staff writer Steve Ferris contributed to this report.
