Auditor General DePasquale Releases Audits for Volunteer Firefighters’ Relief Associations in 20 Counties
Auditor General DePasquale Releases Audits for Volunteer Firefighters’ Relief Associations in 20 Counties
HARRISBURG (July 24, 2018) – Auditor General Eugene DePasquale today announced the release of audit reports for volunteer firefighters’ relief associations in Allegheny, Bedford, Berks, Bucks, Carbon, Clearfield, Columbia, Dauphin, Lackawanna, Lancaster, Lebanon, Luzerne, Mifflin, Montgomery, Northampton, Schuylkill, Somerset, Susquehanna, Washington and Wayne counties.
“My oversight of volunteer firefighters’ relief associations helps emergency-services volunteers protect our citizens and communities,” DePasquale said. “I want to make sure the funding is used efficiently and effectively to help purchase life-saving equipment, training and insurance for thousands of first-responders.”
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
Bunola VFRA – No findings
Jefferson 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 one finding: insufficient bond coverage.
Bedford County
Everett Fire Co. No. 1 VFRA – No findings
Berks 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 five findings: undocumented loans, failure to deposit state aid, untimely deposit of state aid, duplicate payments and failure to maintain a complete and accurate equipment roster.
Bucks County
Chalfont VFRA – No findings
Carbon County
Lehighton VFRA – No findings
Clearfield County
Goshen Township VFRA – No findings
Columbia County
Conyngham Township VFRA – No findings
Dauphin 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: inadequate minutes of meetings and noncompliance with prior audit recommendation for failure to maintain a complete and accurate equipment roster.
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: inadequate relief association bylaws (discretionary benefits) and noncompliance with prior audit recommendation for unauthorized expenditures.
Lackawanna County
Dalton VFRA – No findings
Lancaster County
Salisbury Township Fire Co. No. 1 VFRA
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: inadequate relief association bylaws.
West Willow VFRA – No findings
Witmer VFRA – No findings
Lebanon County
Neversink 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: untimely receipt and deposit of state aid and noncompliance with prior audit recommendation for failure to maintain bond coverage.
Luzerne County
Harding VFRA – No findings
Lake Silkworth VFRA – No findings
Mifflin County
McVeytown VFRA – No findings
Montgomery County
Whitemarsh VFRA – No findings
Ogontz VFRA – No findings
Northampton County
Dewey Fire Co. No. 1 VFRA – No findings
North Catasauqua VFRA – No findings
Schuylkill 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: inadequate relief association bylaws and failure to maintain minutes of meetings and inadequate relief association bylaws.
Somerset County
Somerset VFRA – No findings
Susquehanna County
Susquehanna VFRA – No findings
Washington County
Claysville VFRA – No findings
Wayne 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 four findings: undocumented expenditures, failure to maintain bond coverage, failure to secure ownership interest in a jointly purchased vehicle and noncompliance with prior audit recommendation for failure to maintain a complete and accurate equipment roster.
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