Supervisors debate fire, rescue and EMS funding as equipment and personnel costs rise
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Summary
Lancaster supervisors and local fire/EMS leaders described rising apparatus and gear costs, debated long-standing grant distribution arrangements, and discussed a proposal to equalize county support to roughly $175,000 per department.
Local fire and emergency services leaders told the Lancaster County Board that operational costs have risen sharply and that county support needs adjustment. Charles Brocklebank, chief of the White Stone Volunteer Fire Department, said outfitting a single member runs “well over $5,000” for protective gear, and described apparatus prices that have increased from roughly $650,000 five years ago to near $1,000,000 now.
Representatives raised a longstanding issue about how state “aid to localities” (town grant) dollars have been distributed; one chief said the original intent had been for the county to make up funding so that Upper Lancaster would not be disadvantaged when it lacked an incorporated town to deliver grant dollars. County staff and chiefs discussed proposals to adjust allocations and one proposed split was described in the meeting as approximately $175,000 per department, with the county adding $15,000 to help Upper Lancaster cover its disadvantage in state town funding.
Matt Smith (Emergency Services) described parallel pressures on rescue squads — increasing maintenance and fuel costs — and said he requested a 5% increase for volunteer rescue-squad contributions to cover those rising operating expenses. Board members asked questions about radio upgrades, handheld replacements and pager costs; chiefs said trucks now have new vehicle radios but handhelds and pagers remain needed, and described use of commercial apps (e.g., I’m Responding) that also carry recurring subscription costs.
No formal roll-call vote on a new allocation was recorded during the session; supervisors agreed to continue discussion and to consider options at upcoming budget meetings.
