By PATRICK BUCHNOWSKI
SOMERSET — State fire Commissioner Ed Mann said fire departments, emergency medical services and local governments need to talk with each other to determine what to spend on emergency services.
Mann explained new laws dealing with funding such services at a public meeting Thursday at the Somerset Borough Community Room.
About 75 people turned out for the session, sponsored by state Rep. Carl Metzgar, R-Somerset.
The meeting comes in the wake of a heated disputed over funding between Shade Township and Central City firefighters.
Mann explained a series of bills passed in July, including House Bill 1131.
That law reads in part: Municipalities “shall be responsible for ensuring that fire and emergency medical services are provided within the township by the means and to the extent determined by the township, including the appropriate financial and administrate assistance.”
Firefighters and municipal officials need to determine what level of funding is necessary, Mann said.
“The most important thing about this legislation is its intent,” he said. “The intent was to get local government officials and fire folks and EMS folks in the same room talking to one another.”
Metzgar said he called the meeting to clarify the laws and head off trouble between governments and firefighters.
“My office has gotten a lot of calls from municipalities and fire companies,” Metzgar said. “We want to make sure everybody’s on the same page.”
Central City Fire Department recently threatened to stop providing services in Shade Township until supervisors came up with more money.
The two sides agreed last week to a one-year deal.
Mann said that legally a fire department does not have to provide services outside the municipality where it is located, but might be violating its charter.
“We want to make sure that type of thing doesn’t happen,” Metzgar said.
“At the same time, both sides need to be at the table.”
Indian Lake Mayor Barry Lichty said the meeting was informative.
“I certainly agree with a lot of the issues like increasing communication between local government bodies and fire companies,” he said.
