JOHNSTOWN —
A new emergency responder support organization has launched a project to expand Richland Township Fire Department’s successful vehicle maintenance program into a money-maker to fund a local fire training center.
Richland Assistant Chief Jason Ober outlined the idea for a fleet management company, or municipal repair garage, to be housed in a vacant hangar at John Murtha Johnstown-Cambria County Airport.
“We have a niche market,” Ober said. “Not everybody works on a salt spreader. Not everyone works on a street sweeper. Not everyone works on a fire truck.”
The concept grew as fire department leaders considered funding for a training center proposed on property the Richland department owns off Eisenhower Boulevard near the former 84 Lumber Co. building.
Fundraisers and successful grant writing brought Richland more than $1 million last year to supplement the township taxpayers’ $72,000 allocation, but planners wanted new sources to pay for a regional training facility.
Richland established East Hills Emergency Services Training Association as an independent nonprofit agency, led by a five-member board of community volunteers. Board members are still being chosen, but Ober stressed it will not be a fire company subsidiary.
The fleet management service will be the association’s primary source of revenue.
Initially, the repair facility would serve all Richland Township and East Hills Ambulance Inc. vehicles, with a capacity to include surrounding municipalities, Ober said.
Organizers knew they would need an expert mechanic to lead the project. They found one in longtime Johnstown chief mechanic Carmen Truscello, who retired from the city on Saturday.
“When we started this undertaking and realized Carmen was in a position to retire from the city, it really was a no-brainer,” Ober said.
East Hills Emergency Services Training Association will be able to save municipalities and volunteer fire companies on vehicle repair costs by offering lower rates than most commercial repair businesses, Ober said.
Many of the specialized companies are located out of the area and charge for travel time, he added.
“We will be working on a smaller profit margin than for-profit companies,” Ober said.
“Revenue will go back to fund the training association. It’s a big cycle of recycling our money instead of paying our own money out.”
While Ober admits the garage may take some work away from local businesses, the savings will allow the fire company to purchase new equipment from the same businesses.
“He still gets the warranty work and the big jobs,” Ober said. “We are not going to be able to do every aspect of the business.”
“We are not going to rebuild transmissions, for instance,” Truscello said. “We will take out the transmission and take it to the dealer, but we won’t rebuild a transmission.”
Ober has tentative approval from the Johnstown-Cambria County Airport Authority to use the vacant hangar at no cost for one year, if the association completes some badly needed repairs.
Ober presented the plan at last week’s authority meeting.
Members voted 4-1 in favor of the idea and authorized Solicitor Timothy Leventry to negotiate terms for final approval May 18.
Local News
Related Photos
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Andy Kelly of Fire Apparatus Service Technicians of the Allegheny Mountains works on a valve inside one of Richland Township Fire Department’s pumpers. Plans for a municipal vehicle maintenance facility at the Johns- town airport would save the cost of paying out-of-town specialists to work on local equipment, except as in this job for warranty service. Randy Griffith
Discussion
Agency proposes municipal garage
Revenue would be used for fire training center
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