Firefighters and Montgomery County Commissioners gather for a photo on Aug. 3, 2023 outside the Montgomery County Special Operations Substation and Lo
Nearly 70 fire departments across Montgomery County were granted $1.5 million in COVID-19 relief funds.
Montgomery County Commissioners’ Chairman Ken Lawrence Jr. and Vice Chairwoman Jamila Winder presented a seven-figure check to representatives from several area fire companies on Thursday afternoon at the county’s Special Operations Substation and Logistics Warehouse in Fort Washington as trucks from Collegeville, Flourtown, Glenside, Oreland, and Skippack were situated behind the podium.
The proceedings began with a moment of silence to honor the 59 firefighters in Montgomery County who lost their lives in the line of duty.
“Your dedication has come in the form of countless hours volunteered over many years, and unfortunately sometimes that dedication results in the ultimate sacrifice,” Lawrence said.
The $1.5 million in American Rescue Plan Act funds will be divided among the 69 participating fire companies. An average grant through the Fire Services Recovery Grant Program was listed at $21,724 as monies ranged from $10,000 to $25,000, according to the recovery office’s website.
To determine eligibility, local fire departments had to show how financial hardships were incurred due to the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the recovery office’s website. Parameters included decreased revenue, loss in supplemental fundraising revenues, as well as challenges covering rent, mortgage payroll, and other operating costs.
Deemed essential, first responders were on the front lines throughout the global public health crisis.
“I want to thank you all for your volunteer service, and for your commitment during COVID — when we told folks to stay home, but you did not stay home,” Lawrence said. “You went into homes, you went into situations where you didn’t know what you didn’t know what you were going into.”
Lawrence noted funding could cover expenses related to equipment, training and staffing.
The cash infusion was crucial for Oreland Fire Company Chief Rick Lesniak, who plans to use the roughly $20,036 “to help us offset the increased cost for equipment,” which he said has “increased dramatically over the last several years.” The department is interested in personal protective equipment, thermal imaging cameras and hoses.
“It’s very important to us to be able to provide the safety equipment for our members to keep them safe to in turn help keep the community safe,” Lesniak told MediaNews Group.
Skippack Fire Company Chief Hadyn Marriott shared plans to use the money for more reimbursement purposes. Along with general assistance, he recalled how the department had experienced a lack of funding opportunities and unexpected purchases of personal protective equipment during the pandemic.
“Most of our yearly income is derived either from township money that’s given to us or through rental income, and we made a decision during the outbreak to not collect rental income from our tenants,” Marriott told MediaNews Group, adding how “this just goes a long way in recovering that money that we didn’t collect from our tenants.”
Winder and Lawrence also underscored the importance of the role the local first responders play as most operate on a volunteer basis.
It’s a common theme throughout the commonwealth as nearly 97 percent of fire companies in Pennsylvania are considered “registered volunteer” or “mostly volunteer,” according to findings from the U.S. Fire Administration.
“Without volunteer firefighters like you, communities would be unprotected in large areas of the county,” Winder said.
Visit the Montgomery County Recovery Office’s website to learn more about the grant recipients and other program information.
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