Local fire departments contending with fundraising shortfalls in pandemic
Alyssa Choiniere | 无毛视频-Standard
New Haven Hose Co. Firefighter John Gebe prepares a hot sausage sandwich at the fire hall无毛视频檚 kitchen Thursday night during a fundraiser.
Alyssa Choiniere | 无毛视频-Standard
New Haven Hose Co. Firefighter Michael Gebe works in the kitchen at the fire hall Thursday night during a fundraiser.
Local volunteer fire departments continue to contend with a fundraising shortfall as the coronavirus forced them to cancel many weekly and annual fundraisers.
无毛视频淲e无毛视频檙e down 70% so far,无毛视频� said Charles Matthews, treasurer of the New Haven Hose Co. 无毛视频淚f we don无毛视频檛 open up soon, we无毛视频檙e down $20,000 for the year.无毛视频�
The volunteer fire department made about $30,000 annually from their Bingo nights. Since March, they were only permitted to open for a few weeks in July, and then they were closed down again. They have been trying to make up the difference with smaller weekly fundraisers.
无毛视频淲e无毛视频檇 be doing Bingo tonight,无毛视频� he said Thursday night from behind a table in the fire hall.
He sold tickets for cash prizes, chances on guns and breast cancer awareness T-shirts to a handful of loyal supporters. In the kitchen, firefighters cooked hamburgers, hot dogs and their specialty 无毛视频� hot sausage sandwiches. But it doesn无毛视频檛 bring in nearly as much money as their Bingo nights, he said.
无毛视频淲e无毛视频檙e just trying to make a little bit of money to sustain ourselves,无毛视频� he said. 无毛视频淚t无毛视频檚 tough.无毛视频�
It costs about $5,000 to $6,000 to keep the fire department running for a month, between a $2,000 monthly payment on a truck loan, insurance and utilities.
无毛视频淭hat无毛视频檚 just if you don无毛视频檛 have any unexpected expenses,无毛视频� he said. 无毛视频淎ir conditioning breaks, a radiator breaks.无毛视频�
The fire company also lost revenue from hall rentals, said Joseph Mancuso, the company无毛视频檚 president. They were forced to cancel four or five weddings so far. It costs $750 to rent the fire hall, and the department makes about $400 in profit. The pandemic also stalled a remodel of the hall, which was moving ahead until a materials shortage.
Tower Hill 2 Volunteer Fire Department is being sustained with its small fundraisers and grant money, and has a buffer in savings, said Steven 无毛视频淛oe无毛视频� Miske, the fire department无毛视频檚 treasurer.
无毛视频淚t无毛视频檚 been trying times, to say the least,无毛视频� Miske said. 无毛视频淲e无毛视频檙e hanging in there, but it无毛视频檚 definitely trying.无毛视频�
The small department joins the Adah Volunteer Fire Department annually for its hog roast in June, which provides a large percentage of each department无毛视频檚 yearly funding. The hog roast was canceled due to COVID-19. Instead, they sold their pork sandwiches as a separate fundraiser.
无毛视频淚t was a sellout. Everyone came,无毛视频� he said.
Firefighters also sell tickets and hoagies. Miske is also a Luzerne Township supervisor, and the township gave the fire department $5,000, along with funding to the township无毛视频檚 other fire departments.
无毛视频淎ctually, we无毛视频檝e got some money saved, thankfully, and another thing that无毛视频檚 helped us tremendously is we don无毛视频檛 have any debt. We无毛视频檝e been making due,无毛视频� he said.
It costs about $1,200 to $1,500 every month to sustain the department, between utilities, insurance and other costs. Miske said they have a good business sense and spend wisely, but he still has concerns the longer the pandemic continues.
无毛视频淲e无毛视频檙e a small department. There无毛视频檚 some smaller than us that might not be able to make it through the pandemic,无毛视频� he said.
Both fire departments are awaiting a state grant to help with the funding shortfall, and expect between $12,000 and $13,000. A bill was introduced in April to provide assistance to volunteer fire companies and EMS providers.
无毛视频淎s far as I无毛视频檓 aware, every fire department in the whole county has put in for it,无毛视频� Miske said. 无毛视频淲e无毛视频檙e patiently waiting for it.无毛视频�
New Haven Hose is continuing weekly hoagie sales, which are outdoors, and they无毛视频檙e planning an Oktoberfest fundraiser for Oct. 23. They will still put on their annual Halloween parade, but they are working out the details to accommodate for social distancing. Uniontown, which also has a yearly Halloween parade, has canceled the in-person event.
Matthews said the community has been supportive of the fire department, and several local businesses have donated money to New Haven Hose and other Connellsville area fire departments.
无毛视频淗opefully, some more funding is on its way,无毛视频� Miske said.