Firefighter retention a hot topic
CRANBERRY TWP — Discussions have recently begun over the state’s amended Volunteer Incentives Program.
“It’s both recruitment and a retention effort,” said Amy Behun, administrative assistant and recruiter at Cranberry Township Volunteer Fire Company. “Volunteerism in the fire service, as everyone knows, is on a decline — everything that we can throw at this to attract or retain volunteers is important.”
The state’s incentive program began in 2016 with Act 172. The act established tax-based incentives for municipal volunteer firefighters. This allowed municipalities to provide earned income and real estate tax credits to volunteers.
“Most of the municipalities that did it — Cranberry included — did an earned income tax credit,” said township manager Dan Santoro.
The incentive program was approved by the township in 2018.
“The township is supportive of providing volunteer firefighter incentives,” Santoro said. “That’s why the board of supervisors decided to put the incentives in place for our volunteer fire company.”
In 2020, though, the statewide program was amended with Act 91.
“It expanded the tax-based incentives to include counties and school districts,” Santoro said. “It then increased the allowable value of the real estate tax credit from 20% to 100% tax liability.”
The amendment has sparked conversation among municipalities, volunteer fire departments and the county over how best to implement the new incentives.
“When we talked with Dan Santoro, he kind of broke it down into the numbers and, for example, Cranberry Township’s portion of the real estate tax credit may only be $200,” Behun said. “Your big portion of it is going to be your school district and then the county, so the idea … is roping in the counties and the school district to offer this tax incentive under this program.”
Cranberry Township Volunteer Fire Department continues to operate under the Act 172 incentives while the township opens up conversation in the county over the amendments.
“It’s a discussion that they feel the need to have more on the county level,” Behun said. “For it to be beneficial, it has to be a more significant amount — you have to have buy-in from a higher level.”
Behun believes that Butler County has already begun to open up the conversation.
Behun said the importance of countywide cooperation is not lost on other municipalities.
“I happen to be married to the president of Harmony Fire District, and that’s a similar conversation they’re also having,” said Behun. “They’ve been told by the Butler County fire chiefs and the commissioner that, from a county perspective, that is where it’s best to be addressed.”
Behun cites York County as an example.
“They have a program in place and it benefits all the fire companies in York County,” she said. “Whatever they’ve determined their percentage is and how they’re going to administrate it, it covers every fire company in the county.”
The township is currently meeting with neighboring municipalities. In 2018, these municipalities met to discuss Act 172 and develop shared business practices to enact it.
“Right now, it’s just that multi-municipal group, but I’m sure that will expand to a larger county-group of municipalities,” Santoro said. “We’d be happy to talk to anybody or include anybody in that conversation.”
In the wake of recent firefighter shortages, recruitment and retention remain at the heart of this issue for Behun.
“We’re trying to find legitimate ways that we can incentivize people to volunteer and to stay here,” she said. “If we can say, ‘Hey, you can benefit from this by getting $1,500 back on your real estate for living and volunteering in Cranberry,’ that could be a significant investment and create interest in people.”
The township’s transparency, communication and support have made it possible to start working toward those incentives.
“We are blessed to have the commitment of the township behind us — to continue to work on that volunteer relationship and build the model and make it successful,” said Behun.
