Plum fire chiefs, borough expect stipend program to continue

Plum officials say they’ll likely carry on next year with a program that offers stipends for volunteer firefighters in the borough.

The stipends — $15 per hour — were approved by the borough in January and were first distributed in March.

Holiday Park VFD Chief Jim Sims said the stipends ensure that at least three trained firefighters are available to supplement other crews during daylight shifts from 7 a.m. to noon and from noon to 5 p.m. during weekdays at the centrally located Renton VFD station.

Several months in, Sims said the program has worked well and crews’ timely arrivals have prevented several fires from spreading to adjacent structures.

He and the chiefs of Plum’s three other departments have requested the borough continue the program.

The volunteers are paid out of Plum’s fire tax fund, which gets its money from a portion of the borough’s property taxes earmarked for the fire companies. But, Borough Manager David Soboslay said, the firefighters are not borough employees nor does the borough direct any department operations.

Plum is just entering next year’s budgeting process. Soboslay said he hopes the program will remain.

Though the program might see some minor changes over time, the manager said the borough and departments seem to be on the same page.

Anything that enhances public safety in Plum, Soboslay said, is a good thing.