Lower Burrell firefighters make case for additional funding from city

Volunteer firefighters in Lower Burrell are joining forces to ask city council for more funding.

No official action has been taken, but council members heard from Ted Hereda, chief of Lower Burrell Volunteer Fire Company No. 1 in Kinloch, and Brennan Sites, chief of Lower Burrell Volunteer Fire Company No. 3, on their departments’ needs, plans and the services they provide.

The companies are seeking an additional $25,000 for each department, as well as a 5% increase in annual funding to combat inflation.

Councilman Chris Fabry said the city directly donated $105,000 last year that was split between the departments. A fire escrow account had $20,000 last year, while a firemen relief fund — which is money from other sources that is passed on to the departments through the city — had $60,000.

The departments also would like the city to disburse the annual $30,000 capital fund allocation to the departments — $15,000 each — where funds would be used for vehicle payments or purchases.

“Right now, you put about $30,000 — last year it was $20,000 — into a capital fund for us, for the department,” Sites said. “… But moving forward, instead of you keeping that in a fund and sitting there, we’d like you to give us ($15,000) each for a truck fund that we would save on our own. We could put it in investments. We can do what we need to do instead of coming here because that makes it easier if I need to make payments. …

“It’s more manageable for us to handle that on our own.”

Sites said that while Lower Burrell’s fire departments are fortunate to still have enough members — No. 1 has 46 members, No. 3 has 55 — the departments are seeing a decline in mutual aid because of decreasing membership in the surrounding areas, resulting in limited assistance received and more assistance rendered — which puts a strain on the departments’ resources.

“The volunteer fire department is something that, unfortunately, is a dying breed. It really, truly is,” Sites said.

Other challenges to operations, the chiefs said, are increased costs from inflation. The cost to replace pumpers has risen more than 50% in four years, fuel costs have risen 40% since 2019 and gear and equipment prices continue to rise.

Departments also have seen an increase in call volume, resulting in an increase in time commitments, wear and tear, and fuel costs.

“We’re trying to provide you guys a service efficiently, financially, as best that we can,” Hereda said. “Volunteerism is down. We both fundraise like crazy, and we’re just to the point where we’re tapped out where we can. There’s not enough hours in the day to fundraise more, to train, to be able to provide the services that we need to for the city. I think what we’re coming to ask for is not overkill. I think it’s long overdue.”

Currently, income sources for both departments include city funding for insurance payment and fuel, and an annual fund drive mailed yearly to residents seeking donations.

The departments also rely on other donations, grants and relief associations.

A large amount of funding comes from fundraisers, such as a carnival, fish fry, bingo, food trucks, calendars, raffle tickets and other small games of chance.

Sites and Hereda reiterated that the departments are all-volunteer. Sites said the departments respond to more than just fire calls — for example, they assist when trees are down or for traffic details — which, in turn, saves the city money.

“We save millions of dollars to this city by being volunteers,” he said.

Both departments are rated Class 3 by the Insurance Services Office, or ISO — placing them in the top 8% statewide, Sites said. The ISO evaluates departments for risk. The lower the number, the better fire protection a community has. That lower number also saves residents money on their home insurance, Sites said.

Sites and Hereda also shared upcoming needs for their companies, which include the replacement and purchasing of apparatus, facility upgrades and turnout gear.

Council members told the firefighters they would do their best to continue supporting the departments.

“We’ve got a good thing going in Lower Burrell, and, obviously, we’re going to do our best to keep it that way,” Mayor John Andrejcik said.