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Auditor General Eugene Depasquale talks tight funding for PA’s volunteer firefighters

GETTYSBURG, ADAMS COUNTY, Pa. — Pennsylvania Auditor General Eugene Depasquale speaking at a `Pennsylvania Firemen`s Association Conference` in Gettysburg...
Firefighters

GETTYSBURG, ADAMS COUNTY, Pa. -- Pennsylvania Auditor General Eugene Depasquale speaking at a `Pennsylvania Firemen`s Association Conference` in Gettysburg Thursday to discuss the issue with tight funding for Pennsylvania`s volunteer firefighters.

According to Depasquale, the Volunteer Firefighters Relief Association gets state reimbursement each year — which he says needs to be reworked.

"I know certainly some of our Central Pennsylvania counties we have volunteer fire relief agencies that don't have enough money so I am going to try to continue to work with the legislature and try to reform that proposal," said Depasquale.

Despasquale says the importance of auditing Volunteer Firefighter Relief Agencies is about making sure money is spent effectively.

"There's a fire department I had to withhold their state aid this week because theres tens of thousands of dollars unaccounted for, receipts missing and when it comes to tax payers dollars regardless with that money is going, I have to draw the line to make sure every single tax payer gets as much protection as humanly possible," said Depasquale.

In 2017 nearly $60 million in state funds was distributed through funding municipalities to more than twenty five hundred municipalities Volunteer Firefighters Relief Association to provide training, purchase equipment and insurance and pay for death benefits for volunteer firefighters.

Numbers for 2018’s State Aid will be announced in early October 2018.

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