Pennsylvania County fire commission refers proposed fire-billing program to committee after wide concerns

The Pennsylvania County Fire and Rescue Commission on July 17 discussed a new local fire-billing process that would allow volunteer fire departments to invoice property owners and their insurance carriers for fire-service calls under the Code of Virginia.

Ben Meeks, a commission member, read language placed into the county code citing the Code of Virginia and said, “Any invoice or fire service charges by a volunteer fire department shall be sent to the owner of the property for which these services were rendered,” and that invoices would then be forwarded to the appropriate homeowner or automobile insurance carrier in accordance with Code of Virginia § 38.2-2130.

The discussion centered on how billing would work in practice and who would bear costs. Coleman Matthews, a commissioner, said the proposal raised equity…