Local fire departments contending with fundraising shortfalls in pandemic
Alyssa Choiniere | 缅北禁地
New Haven Hose Co. Firefighter John Gebe prepares a hot sausage sandwich at the fire hall鈥檚 kitchen Thursday night during a fundraiser.
Alyssa Choiniere | 缅北禁地
New Haven Hose Co. Firefighter Michael Gebe works in the kitchen at the fire hall Thursday night during a fundraiser.
Local volunteer fire departments continue to contend with a fundraising shortfall as the coronavirus forced them to cancel many weekly and annual fundraisers.
鈥淲e鈥檙e down 70% so far,鈥� said Charles Matthews, treasurer of the New Haven Hose Co. 鈥淚f we don鈥檛 open up soon, we鈥檙e down $20,000 for the year.鈥�
The volunteer fire department made about $30,000 annually from their Bingo nights. Since March, they were only permitted to open for a few weeks in July, and then they were closed down again. They have been trying to make up the difference with smaller weekly fundraisers.
鈥淲e鈥檇 be doing Bingo tonight,鈥� he said Thursday night from behind a table in the fire hall.
He sold tickets for cash prizes, chances on guns and breast cancer awareness T-shirts to a handful of loyal supporters. In the kitchen, firefighters cooked hamburgers, hot dogs and their specialty 鈥� hot sausage sandwiches. But it doesn鈥檛 bring in nearly as much money as their Bingo nights, he said.
鈥淲e鈥檙e just trying to make a little bit of money to sustain ourselves,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 tough.鈥�
It costs about $5,000 to $6,000 to keep the fire department running for a month, between a $2,000 monthly payment on a truck loan, insurance and utilities.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 just if you don鈥檛 have any unexpected expenses,鈥� he said. 鈥淎ir conditioning breaks, a radiator breaks.鈥�
The fire company also lost revenue from hall rentals, said Joseph Mancuso, the company鈥檚 president. They were forced to cancel four or five weddings so far. It costs $750 to rent the fire hall, and the department makes about $400 in profit. The pandemic also stalled a remodel of the hall, which was moving ahead until a materials shortage.
Tower Hill 2 Volunteer Fire Department is being sustained with its small fundraisers and grant money, and has a buffer in savings, said Steven 鈥淛oe鈥� Miske, the fire department鈥檚 treasurer.
鈥淚t鈥檚 been trying times, to say the least,鈥� Miske said. 鈥淲e鈥檙e hanging in there, but it鈥檚 definitely trying.鈥�
The small department joins the Adah Volunteer Fire Department annually for its hog roast in June, which provides a large percentage of each department鈥檚 yearly funding. The hog roast was canceled due to COVID-19. Instead, they sold their pork sandwiches as a separate fundraiser.
鈥淚t was a sellout. Everyone came,鈥� he said.
Firefighters also sell tickets and hoagies. Miske is also a Luzerne Township supervisor, and the township gave the fire department $5,000, along with funding to the township鈥檚 other fire departments.
鈥淎ctually, we鈥檝e got some money saved, thankfully, and another thing that鈥檚 helped us tremendously is we don鈥檛 have any debt. We鈥檝e been making due,鈥� he said.
It costs about $1,200 to $1,500 every month to sustain the department, between utilities, insurance and other costs. Miske said they have a good business sense and spend wisely, but he still has concerns the longer the pandemic continues.
鈥淲e鈥檙e a small department. There鈥檚 some smaller than us that might not be able to make it through the pandemic,鈥� he said.
Both fire departments are awaiting a state grant to help with the funding shortfall, and expect between $12,000 and $13,000. A bill was introduced in April to provide assistance to volunteer fire companies and EMS providers.
鈥淎s far as I鈥檓 aware, every fire department in the whole county has put in for it,鈥� Miske said. 鈥淲e鈥檙e patiently waiting for it.鈥�
New Haven Hose is continuing weekly hoagie sales, which are outdoors, and they鈥檙e planning an Oktoberfest fundraiser for Oct. 23. They will still put on their annual Halloween parade, but they are working out the details to accommodate for social distancing. Uniontown, which also has a yearly Halloween parade, has canceled the in-person event.
Matthews said the community has been supportive of the fire department, and several local businesses have donated money to New Haven Hose and other Connellsville area fire departments.
鈥淗opefully, some more funding is on its way,鈥� Miske said.