Burns: $274,000 in state funding for local fire, EMS companies
Grants to help defray costs of equipment, training for volunteers
Rep. Frank Burns February 10, 2022 | 3:11 PM
EBENSBURG, Feb. 10 – As a veteran legislator who has worked hard to ensure first responders have the support they need to get the job done, state Rep. Frank Burns, D-Cambria, today announced that local fire and EMS companies will receive more than $274,000 in state funding.
“Every day we depend upon our fire and EMS volunteers to answer the call and help us, which they do in a true spirit of community service,” Burns said. “But with volunteers hard to come by, this funding from the state is more critical than ever, and I’ll keep working in Harrisburg to make sure they have the support they need to get the job done.”
Administered by the Office of State Fire Commissioner, the grants can be used for facility upgrades, equipment, debt reduction, training, education and public outreach, recruitment and retention, and revenue loss due to COVID-19 impacts.
Local funding awarded Thursday includes:
Fire Co. Funding:
- Ashville Fire Co. - $15,000
- Cambria Twp. VFC- $15,000
- Carrolltown Fire Co. - $15,000
- Dauntless - $15,000
- Gallitzin Fire Co. #1 - $15,000
- Jackson Twp. VFC - $15,000
- Loretto FC - $15,000
- Lower Yoder VFC - $15,000
- Middle Taylor Twp. VFC - $15,000
- Patton Fire Co. #1 - $15,000
- Portage VFC - $30,000
- Reade Twp. VFC - $15,000
- Summerhill Twp. VFC - $14,700
- Upper Yoder VFC – $15,000
EMS Funding:
- Ebensburg Area Ambulance - $8,325
- Jackson Twp. VFC - $8,325
- John Carroll Area EMS - $8,325
- Patton Area Ambulance Assoc. - $8,325
- Portage Area Ambulance Assoc. - $8,325
- Upper Yoder EMS - $8,325
A full list of fire and EMS companies awarded grants this year statewide is available here.
As someone who has suited up for a Cambria County Fire School training session to see firsthand what volunteers do, Burns is committed to working on behalf of local fire and EMS companies.
Just this week, Burns voted to pass bipartisan legislation that would send $25 million in emergency funding to EMS companies across Pennsylvania, just another example of how he’s working in Harrisburg to help first responders.
Burns also pushed during the COVID crisis to get emergency grants to local fire and EMS companies that were hard-hit by the pandemic, and introduced an amendment that was included in the final bill to ensure rural volunteer fire companies were part of the program.