Wexford Volunteer Fire Co. Picks up Checks for $356,000

The coffers of the got a major infusion of cash Monday night.

The Pine Board of Supervisors presented two checks totaling $356,000 to Richard Voll, a longtime firefighter and member of the fire company's executive board.

The is an all-volunteer organization that provides fire protection to Pine Township.

The township's annual contribution to the fire company totaled $193,432, and the commonwealth's 2011 Foreign Fire Relief Aid was for $162,274.

Voll and Dave Buttermore, president of the fire company executive board, praised the support the township received.

Buttermore said the fire company is "very, very grateful" for the working relationship it has with the township and  in serving the residents of Pine. Wexford VFC also works closely with other local fire departments.

Voll said the state funds were a pleasant surprise, nearly double the amount from last year.

“The source of the [state] monies is a 2 percent tax on foreign fire insurance premiums,” according to a Auditor General’s Office publication. “The term ‘foreign fire insurance’ means fire insurance written by an insurance company which is not incorporated in the commonwealth of Pennsylvania.”

The allocation is based on the population and the market value of real estate of a municipality, according to the Auditor General's publication, Management Guidelines for Volunteer Firefighters' Relief Associations.