Municipalities in and around our coverage area have received about $450,000 in state aid to go towards their local volunteer fire relief association, according to the auditor general's office.
The Greater Shenandoah area, the borough and West Mahanoy Township, received a combined $29,590.33, an increase of $2,154.58 from last year.
The auditor general's office says the funding, which comes from a 2% state tax on fire insurance premiums, "helps reduce burdens on local taxpayers."
“State aid provided to volunteer firefighters’ relief associations helps dedicated first responders save lives and protect our communities,” auditor general Eugene DePasquale said in a media release. “The state funding I am announcing today will help provide life-saving equipment, critical training and insurance for tens of thousands of volunteer firefighters all across the state.”
Nearly $60 Million was distributed to 2,518 municipalities across the Commonwealth, DePasquale said.