2021 Murrysville Volunteer Fire Company Fund Drive

 
By Secretary Mike Cline
March 23, 2021
 

To the Residents and Businesses within the Primary Response District of the Murrysville Volunteer Fire Company #1 (Station 20)

The Murrysville Volunteer Fire Company #1, founded in 1927, is a community-funded organization managed and operated by volunteers. We strive to provide exceptional service for all hazards encountered by or requested of a modern, progressive fire and rescue mitigation team. This team of volunteers makes a solid commitment to serve unselfishly within their community, maintaining a constant state of readiness 24 hours a day 7 days a week and one of these volunteers might just be your neighbor, friend or family member. We continually adapt to rapid changing environments, always moving forward, always with YOU being the focus of our priority and that is for the preservation of YOUR life and YOUR property when called into service.

Funding of our organization is heavily dependent on our residents and businesses; you provide the majority of funding for our annual operating budget and we are thrilled to have you as a committed partner in helping us fulfill our mission. Your donation provides us the opportunity to fill gaps left by the shortfall of local government and grant programs. We, together, can take ownership of this critical essential service. We will continue to provide the personnel as you continue to commit to the funding and by doing so our community remains better prepared for that next emergency call for service and that could be yours.

Over the next several weeks, we will be providing a snapshot of our organization and highlight the various equipment and programs that donations provided from within our community so vitally support. We hope this look inside will expand upon the many roles and responsibilities that are undertaken by our dedicated volunteers and believe it will showcase that there is more to a fire department than just fighting fires.

Establishing Annual Sources of Revenue Sources and Funds

Donations: Supports the majority of the annual operating expenses and fills holes left by underfunding of other sources.

• Residential

• Business

Local Government – Municipality of Murrysville: Dedicates percent of millage to a fire-apparatus vehicle replacement and maintenance program. Provides a stipend for fuel allotment. Carries mandated workers compensation insurance coverage and distributes foreign fire insurance tax.

• Equally Supports all 3 Fire Departments

• Murrysville, White Valley & Sardis

Grants:
• Office of the State Fire Commissioner: Competitive awards for specific program equipment, has smaller award amounts (recently < $15k).

• Federal Emergency Management Association: Highly competitive awards for specific program equipment, (typically >$50k). Has been over 10 years since last successful award!

The expenses you help us extinguish every year include; Utilities (electric, gas, water & sewer, cable & mobile data), Bonding & Insurance (errors & omissions, accidental death & dismemberment), Facility Maintenance (building & grounds upkeep) and most importantly underfunded Equipment & Projects.

This year will prove to be just as challenging as in years past but with your support; we will overcome all obstacles in the way of carrying out our mission. This past year was unique to the fact that, up until now, no one had experience in providing emergency response services during a pandemic. Our department has taken great measures to be able to continue providing effective fire and rescue services regardless of the complexities faced. We adapted our response protocols, wear face coverings before, during and after calls for service and have established a comprehensive facility, apparatus and equipment sanitation program all in an effort to provide an uninterrupted availability for service and to provide for the safest interactions with our community when called to action.

The below pictures show some of the firefighters of the Murrysville Volunteer Fire Company #1, and Engine 20.

Respectfully:
The Firefighters of the Murrysville Volunteer Fire Company #1