Three first responder companies in southwestern Butler County secured more than $50,000 in funding through the Office of the State Fire Commissioner (OSFC), while three northern departments received nearly $38,000.

That money helps members of Harmony Fire District, Harmony EMS, Evans City Area Volunteer Fire Department, Bruin Volunteer Fire Department, Eau Claire Volunteer Fire Department and North Washington Volunteer Fire Department remain active in their communities.

“Typically, we use it for debt reduction,” said Tim Sapienza, president of Harmonny Fire District.

OSFC grants are annual awards given to fire companies, EMS departments and volunteer rescue squads in the state of Pennsylvania.

Emergency responder departments can apply for funding in one of six categories: facilities, equipment, debt reduction, training, education and career departments.

The only qualification: is that the organizations must report all incidents via the Pennsylvania Fire Information Reporting System.

PennFIRS manages the “flow of incidents into the National Fire Incident Reporting System,” according to the OSFC website. Departments can apply for OSFC funding year after year.

HFD received a $25,748 OSFC grant this year. The money will go toward paying down a loan on one of its 10 department vehicles.

“We have a loan payment on our ... ladder truck,” said Justin Hart, assistant fire chief.

The 2017 ladder truck cost the district more than $1 million — with some financial reductions — when it was first purchased. The district has paid about $71,000 a year on it and now has six payments left.

The OSFC funding is an important part of reaching that last payment.

“It definitely helps out,” Hart said.

Every little bit counts, according to Harmony EMS Director of Operations Lynn Curl.

“It is a constant struggle,” Curl said. “It's a year-around struggle to keep our ambulances on the road.”

Harmony EMS has five ambulances and five wheelchair vehicles. It covers 10 municipalities in two counties, responding to calls in just under 200 square miles with 30 staff members.

Harmony EMS got $9,192 through OSFC, a little more than in past years. The company applied for funding for new equipment.

“We're actually using it ... to offset some of the cost of new monitors,” Curl said.

Cardiac monitors, which are used in EMS vehicles, cost about $30,000 each. Harmony EMS needs to buy five, according to Curl, in the next year-and-a-half, before the ones the department has are considered “obsolete.”

The OSCF caps EMS grants at $10,000 a year and fire department grants at $15,000 a year.

But because HFD is the result of several fire companies merging, it's eligible for up to $30,000 per year for the first several years. HFD merged in 2015.

First responders won't receive any grant money until closer to the end of the year.

But the local volunteer companies know to make plans for the funding every year.

“We really depend on this funding to come through,” Curl said. “I think everybody banks on this.”

Curl said EMS standards are constantly changing for equipment and training. The funding to support new purchases or increased training fees doesn't.

Companies like Harmony EMS look for money in every available outlet.

“Anywhere we can get it from,” Curl said. “We're very under-reimbursed from insurance companies.”

Programs like OSFC grants both support much-needed volunteer services and find creative ways to raise money. OSFC grants are funded through slot machine gaming instead of tax revenue generated by Pennsylvania's General Fund.

OSFC has evolved with emergency needs, according to Sapienza.

“This is a program that's gone on for years,” Sapienza said. “We'll continue to use it for debt reduction.”

Evans City Area Volunteer Fire Department received $14,111 this year. The fire department did not respond to calls for comment.

Eric Feicht, chief of the Bruin Volunteer Fire Department, said the department relies on the annual grant to cover expenses.

This year's grant of $12,878 will be used for a fire truck loan payment and to buy turnout gear for two firefighters.

“We'll use it for debt reduction and personal protection equipment. We have a 2 percent loan on an engine,” Feicht said. “It's nice to get that every year.”

The North Washington Volunteer Fire Department and the Eau Claire Volunteer fire Department will each receive $12,467.