Auditor General DePasquale Releases Audits for 20 Volunteer Firefighter Relief Associations in Allegheny, Berks, Blair, Butler, Clearfield, Erie, Franklin, Lancaster, Lawrence, Lebanon, Luzerne, Montgomery, Washington, Westmoreland and York counties

March 14 2014

Auditor General DePasquale Releases Audits for 20 Volunteer Firefighter Relief Associations in Allegheny, Berks, Blair, Butler, Clearfield, Erie, Franklin, Lancaster, Lawrence, Lebanon, Luzerne, Montgomery, Washington, Westmoreland and York counties

HARRISBURG (March 14, 2014)– Auditor General Eugene DePasquale today announced the release of audit reports for 20 volunteer firefighter relief associations in Allegheny, Berks, Blair, Butler, Clearfield, Erie, Franklin, Lancaster, Lawrence, Lebanon, Luzerne, Montgomery, Washington, Westmoreland and York counties.

The department’s Bureau of Firefighters’ Relief Association Audits examines volunteer firefighter relief associations, which receive state aid from a two-percent state tax on fire insurance premiums purchased by Pennsylvania residents from out-of-state casualty insurance companies.

In 2013, $72 million in state funds was required to be distributed through funding municipalities to nearly 1,950 VFRAs to provide training, purchase equipment and insurance, and pay for death benefits for volunteer firefighters. 
The full audit reports are available online using the links provided below.

Allegheny County
Bradford Woods VFRA
Received and expended state aid and accumulated relief funds in compliance with applicable state laws, contracts, bylaws and administrative procedures.

Berks County
Oley VFRA
Received and expended state aid and accumulated relief funds in compliance with applicable state laws, contracts, bylaws and administrative procedures, except for two findings: non-compliance with prior audit recommendations for undocumented expenses and failure to maintain complete and accurate equipment roster.

Blair County
Roaring Springs VFRA
Received and expended state aid and accumulated relief funds in compliance with applicable state laws, contracts, bylaws and administrative procedures, except for three findings: insufficient bond coverage, unauthorized expense and non-compliance with prior audit recommendation for failure to maintain a complete and accurate equipment roster.

Butler County
North Washington VFRA
Received and expended state aid and accumulated relief funds in compliance with applicable state laws, contracts, bylaws and administrative procedures.

Clearfield County
Penfield VFRA
Received and expended state aid and accumulated relief funds in compliance with applicable state laws, contracts, bylaws and administrative procedures.

Union Township VFRA
Received and expended state aid and accumulated relief funds in compliance with applicable state laws, contracts, bylaws and administrative procedures, except for one finding: failure to adhere to relief association bylaws.

Erie County
Cranesville VFRA
Received and expended state aid and accumulated relief funds in compliance with applicable state laws, contracts, bylaws and administrative procedures.

Franklin County
Franklin No. 4 VFRA
Received and expended state aid and accumulated relief funds in compliance with applicable state laws, bylaws and administrative procedures.

Greencastle-Antrim VFRA
Received and expended state aid and accumulated relief funds in compliance with applicable state laws, bylaws and administrative procedures, except for one finding: insufficient bond coverage.

Lancaster County
Eden VFRA
Received and expended state aid and accumulated relief funds in compliance with applicable state laws, bylaws and administrative procedures.

Elizabethtown VFRA
Received and expended state aid and accumulated relief funds in compliance with applicable state laws, bylaws and administrative procedures.

Lawrence County
Elwood City VFRA
Received and expended state aid and accumulated relief funds in compliance with applicable state laws, bylaws and administrative procedures, except for five findings: unauthorized and undocumented expenses and non-compliance with prior audit recommendations for failure to obtain a federal tax identification number, inadequate relief association bylaws and failure to maintain a complete and accurate equipment roster.

Neshannock Township VFRA
Received and expended state aid and accumulated relief funds in compliance with applicable state laws, bylaws and administrative procedures, except for one finding for a duplicate payment.

Lebanon County
Bunker Hill VFRA
Received and expended state aid and accumulated relief funds in compliance with applicable state laws, bylaws and administrative procedures.

Fredericksburg VFRA
Received and expended state aid and accumulated relief funds in compliance with applicable state laws, bylaws and administrative procedures, except for one finding: non-compliance with prior audit recommendation for undocumented expenses.

Luzerne County
Ashley VFRA
Received and expended state aid and accumulated relief funds in compliance with applicable state laws, bylaws and administrative procedures.

Montgomery County
Empire VFRA
Received and expended state aid and accumulated relief funds in compliance with applicable state laws, contracts, bylaws and administrative procedures, except for one finding: failure to adhere to relief association bylaws.

Washington County
Allenport VFRA
Received and expended state aid and accumulated relief funds in compliance with applicable state laws, contracts, bylaws and administrative procedures.

Westmoreland County
Ligonier Township VFRA
Received and expended state aid and accumulated relief funds in compliance with applicable state laws, bylaws and administrative procedures, except for one finding for insufficient bond coverage.

York County
West Manchester Township VFRA
Received and expended state aid and accumulated relief funds in compliance with applicable state laws, bylaws and administrative procedures.

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