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Panel advances bill to raise volunteer firefighters’ vehicle and clothing allowances
Summary
The committee passed House Bill 10‑48 to increase the minimum clothing and vehicle allowances for volunteer firefighters after testimony from volunteers and associations describing declining ranks (from ~20,000 to ~13,000) and out‑of‑pocket costs; the bill passed 11–0.
Representative Novak introduced House Bill 10‑48, saying volunteer firefighters are the backbone of many rural and suburban communities and that minimum allowances for vehicle and clothing reimbursements have not increased in 45 years. Novak framed the increase as a modest, practical step to support recruitment and retention.
Volunteer speakers told the committee the allowances lag inflation and help cover real costs. Luke Klunder, a volunteer with more than 35 years’ experience and a state association treasurer, said cleaning and replacing contaminated street clothes can be costly and that fuel and vehicle costs add up for volunteers who travel large territories. “When I first started we had nearly 20,000 volunteer firefighters in the state of Indiana. Most recently, our numbers are down around 13,000,” Klunder said, urging support for reasonable increases.
Angel Valentine, a township trustee and representative of the Indiana Township Association, and Larry Curl of the Indiana Volunteer Firefighters Association also supported the change and cited the value volunteers provide to communities. The committee moved to pass the bill and recorded a roll call; the bill passed 11–0 and will advance with the committee recommendation.
