Auditor General DePasquale Releases Audits for Volunteer Firefighters’ Relief Associations in 18 Counties
Auditor General DePasquale Releases Audits for Volunteer Firefighters’ Relief Associations in 18 Counties
HARRISBURG (Aug. 1, 2018) – Auditor General Eugene DePasquale today announced the release of audit reports for volunteer firefighters’ relief associations in Allegheny, Beaver, Bedford, Butler, Chester, Columbia, Crawford, Erie, Indiana, Lackawanna, Lancaster, Montgomery, Northampton, Pike, Somerset, Sullivan, Washington and York counties.
“Volunteer Firefighters’ Relief Associations are essential in helping our communities receive life-saving equipment, critical training and insurance for thousands of volunteer firefighters and emergency service providers,” DePasquale said. “My audits help ensure that money is spent appropriately.”
The Department of the Auditor General examines volunteer firefighters’ relief associations, which receive state aid from a 2 percent state tax on fire insurance premiums purchased by Pennsylvania residents from out-of-state casualty insurance companies.
In 2017, 2,521 municipalities received $60.6 million in fire relief association funding for distribution to local volunteer firefighters’ relief associations to provide training, purchase equipment and insurance, and pay for death benefits for volunteer firefighters.
The full audit reports for VFRAs with findings are available online using the links provided below; others are available online at: www.PaAuditor.gov/audit-reports.
Allegheny County
Cochran Hose Company VFRA – No findings
Coulter VFRA – No findings
Hilltop Hose Co. No. 3 VFRA – No findings
Beaver County
Beaver Falls VFRA – No findings
Bedford County
Breezewood Fire and Relief Co. No. 1 VFRA – No findings
Butler County
Complied with applicable state laws, contracts, bylaws and administrative procedures as they relate to the receipt of state aid and the expenditure of relief association funds, except for one finding: unauthorized expenditures.
Chester County
Complied with applicable state laws, contracts, bylaws and administrative procedures as they relate to the receipt of state aid and the expenditure of relief association funds, except for seven findings: related party situation, failure to obtain a Pennsylvania state sales tax exemption number, failure to deposit proportionate proceeds from the sale of jointly purchased vehicle and noncompliance with prior audit recommendations for inadequate minutes of meetings, inadequate relief association bylaws, failure to maintain bond coverage and inadequate signatory authority for the disbursement of funds.
Longwood VFRA – No findings
West Chester VFRA – No findings
Columbia County
Bloomsburg VFRA – No findings
Orangeville VFRA – No findings
Crawford County
Springboro VFRA – No findings
Erie County
Complied with applicable state laws, contracts, bylaws and administrative procedures as they relate to the receipt of state aid and the expenditure of relief association funds, except for two findings: unsecured loan and noncompliance with prior audit recommendation for undocumented expenditures.
Indiana County
Homer City VFRA – No findings
Lackawanna County
Covington Independent VFRA – No findings
Taylor Hose and Engine Co. No. 1 – No findings
Lancaster County
Adamstown VFRA – No findings
Complied with applicable state laws, contracts, bylaws and administrative procedures as they relate to the receipt of state aid and the expenditure of relief association funds, except for two findings: unauthorized expenditure and failure to maintain a complete and accurate equipment roster.
Montgomery County
Empire Hook and Ladder Company VFRA – No findings
Roslyn Fire Co. No. 1 – No findings
Northampton County
Williams Township VFRA – No findings
Pike County
Promised Land VFRA – No findings
Somerset County
Confluence VFRA – No findings
Sullivan County
Complied with applicable state laws, contracts, bylaws and administrative procedures as they relate to the receipt of state aid and the expenditure of relief association funds, except for two findings: unauthorized expenditure and inadequate signatory authority for the disbursement of funds.
Washington County
Slovan VFRA – No findings
York County
Complied with applicable state laws, contracts, bylaws and administrative procedures as they relate to the receipt of state aid and the expenditure of relief association funds, except for one finding: inappropriate ownership of rescue vehicle.
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