Upper Burrell considers safety tax to help fire department

The Upper Burrell Township supervisors plan to discuss a 3-mill tax increase for a new safety tax primarily benefiting the township’s sole fire department during their meeting on Wednesday.

If the 3-mill tax is approved, the average homeowner with a home assessed at about $21,000 would pay $63 a year for the new tax. One mill generates about $41,000 in revenue for the township.

“We want to help our fire company stay alive,” said supervisors Chairman Ross Walker.

Township residents haven’t had to pay a township tax increase for at least a decade, he added.

At issue is a 30-year-old fire rescue truck that needs replaced, costing between $800,000 to $900,000, according to Bryan Fitch, fire chief of Upper Burrell Volunteer Fire Department.

“Everything we have is outdated including the trucks — everything needs replaced,” he said.

The fire department’s fundraisers of fish fries and raffle tickets isn’t enough to tackle that magnitude of expense, according to Walker and Fitch.

The fire department just spent about $40,000 for five air packs and oxygen supplies for firefighters, Fitch noted.

The number of calls has been growing at a time when major pieces of equipment haven’t been replaced. Most of the company’s trucks are between 15 and 30 years old, Fitch said.

“We’re looking for help,” Fitch said. “The township is growing, the fire department is growing and safety equipment is costing more money at a time when there are more standards and regulations to follow,” he said.

Annually, the fire department responds to about 350 incidents, including traffic accidents, fires and medical calls, Fitch said.