Volunteer fire departments throughout Butler County will receive a total of $1 million in the release of $55.1 million in state volunteer fire relief funding announced by Auditor General Eugene DePasquale, including the Winfield Volunteer Fire Department, which closed in August.

The Winfield VFD's relief association is listed as the recipient of $18,000 even though supervisors voted Aug. 30 to close the department and switch fire service coverage to the Herman, Saxonburg and Buffalo Township fire departments.

Adam Hartwig, Winfield Township secretary, said Thursday that the relief money will be split among the three fire departments covering the township.

He said Saxonburg and Buffalo Township fire departments will receive 40 percent each, and Herman 20 percent.

When the supervisors voted to close the township fire department in late August, they also enacted an ordinance that allows the township to split among the three recognized fire departments any funds allocated for or donated to the Winfield department.

Hartwig said he will send the township resolution to close the fire department to DePasquale's office so the staff knows for future reference that the fire department no longer exists.

The Winfield supervisors decided to close the fire department after attempting for a decade to help the volunteer board improve record keeping, reporting, keeping up with training requirements and many other aspects of the department's operation, which were being neglected.

Hartwig said most of the Winfield firefighters have joined one of the three neighboring departments that are providing fire services for the township.

While there have been no structure fires since the township fire department closed, there have been calls for accidents and other incidents.

Hartwig said the three appointed fire departments have provided excellent service in those calls.

“We have not received any negative feedback from anybody as a result of the change,” he said.

Other VFDs funded

The relief funds will be dispersed to volunteer fire departments in the county at a time when many departments are struggling to pay for expensive turnout gear, equipment and required training.

Receiving the largest amount of relief funds in the county is Cranberry Township Volunteer Fire Company at $208,824. Adams Township VFD was second highest at $100,306.

Butler Township VFD received $96,731 in relief funds.

Rick Cook, president of the Cranberry Township VFC Relief Association, said the annual state relief distribution is the only government subsidy received by the Cranberry VFC.

He said this year's amount is down about $10,000 from last year.

The $208,824 goes directly to the relief association fund, and will go toward the 911 system upgrade, buying a new fire police vehicle, equipment purchases, and death benefits and accidental injury costs for firefighters.

The funds will also be used for the projects to add a two-story building at the park fire station and the nearly complete remodeling of the Haine School Road fire station.

“We have a lot of new equipment being purchased and our new station construction going on right now, so expenses are rather high at this time,” Cook said.

The $55.1 million now being distributed to 2,518 municipalities throughout the state comes from a 2 percent state tax on fire insurance premiums purchased by Pennsylvania residents from out-of-state casualty insurance companies.

“This money is vital in helping volunteer firefighters who save lives and protect property,” DePasquale said. “These funds will benefit communities statewide by helping to purchase life-saving equipment, fund critical training and provide insurance for thousands of volunteer firefighters and emergency service providers.”

A complete list of the disbursements to county fire departments is available at www.paauditor.gov/vfra-allocations