Radnor Professional Firefighters Association

Two inches of water and 30 seconds. That’s all it takes to drown. #IAFFsafetytips

Welcome home Larry Bengough! Thank you and your family for the sacrifices made while serving on an 11 month overseas deployment.

In addition to firefighting, EMS, hazardous materials, vehicle rescue and water rescue training, many of our members are also trained to the operations level or higher in rope rescue techniques.

Ballot question # 4 is quite simple. If it passes, municipal career fire departments would be eligible to apply for loans from the Fire and Emergency Medical Se...rvices Loan Program formally know as Volunteer Loan Assistance Program (VLAP). This proposal was Recommendation 10 in the SR6 Report and passed the commission unanimously. The ballot question was legislatively authorized with the passage of Act 91 of 2020. VLAP’s background The program was established in the mid-1970s with the passage of a ballot referendum authorizing the commonwealth to incur debt through the issuances of bond to create a low interest loan program for the volunteer emergency services. Because the referendum stated volunteer the legislature has not been able to amend the statute to allow municipal career fire departments to apply without voter approval. How does the program work? The fund provides loans at 2% interest to volunteer first responder organizations. Each organization is capped at three open loans at a time. Each organization must show unencumbered funds in the amount of the 20% of the project. Loans of $50k or less have a maximum 10 year payback, $50K - $300k have a max 15 year payback and greater than $300k have a max 20 year payback. Loans amounts are capped based upon the project type and cost. For example: Station construction or modifications are capped at $450k or 50% of the total project cost, whichever is less. Ladder trucks, $350K, fire engines $250k, etc. These numbers have been increased by statute several times over the course of the program. The loans are reviewed and approved by a committee. Financial standing of the fund. The fund currently has a $47M balance and is self-sustaining. The loan has a very low default rate. Three times since 2014 the fund has been raided to help balance the budget in total of $44M. These funds have not been paid back. If approved what will the change with the fund? Municipal fire departments will be eligible to apply for loans. The same rules in terms of three loan maximum per FD, the caps on the loan amounts and committee review will all apply to these FDs. This will result in less than 40 additional eligible FDs statewide. Many of those FDs exist to cover daytime Monday-Friday shifts in communities where there are limited volunteers during the day or in smaller cities. The loans will be to the local municipality or city employing the FD and be secured by them. The ballot question does NOT authorize further debt and nor unfairly shift the loans to the larger cities away from the volunteer first responder organizations. Every major statewide fire service organization, both career and volunteer, have endorsed this change and are requesting a YES vote.

Earlier this week at our regular quarterly meeting, Local 4883 President Elder announced the recipients of our first annual recognition awards. COVID-19 ultimately changed the way we planned to present the awards, but it also made the awards more important than ever. Our members have worked tirelessly throughout the pandemic to provide fire, rescue, and EMS services to the Radnor and Tredyffrin communities. Most Fire/Rescue Responses - Jerry Woods Most EMS Responses - Chris... Straub BLS Provider of the Year - Chris Straub ALS Provider of the Year - Bill Elder Fire Fighter of the Year - Chris Totaro The BLS Provider, ALS Provider, and Fire Fighter of the Year Awards were voted on by Local 4883 members. Congratulations to the award recipients and thanks to all our members for what you do every day. Thanks also to 1st In Leather and On The Job for the excellent awards.

Happy New Year from the Radnor Professional Firefighters Association. Career staff members are staffing the station today with two Firefighter/EMTs and two Firefighter/Paramedics. So far the crew has responded to one EMS incident and two fire calls today. Please take the opportunity today to make sure your smoke and CO detectors have fresh batteries!

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all from the Radnor Professional Fire Fighters Association!

Merry Christmas Larry Bengough!

Local 4883 members have responded to 12 medical emergencies since yesterday, and maintained an increased staffing level overnight to assist with storm preparations and response. If you begin to feel fatigued, nauseated, short of breath, or experience chest pain while shoveling snow, please stop shoveling and call 911! If you are out driving, take it slow and maintain a safe stopping distance between you and the car in front of you. Please also remember to follow all safety precautions when using snow blowers and other powered equipment. We really hope you don’t need us today, but we are here if you do.

Public Works Crews are out in the elements treating and clearing Township roads. Here’s how you can help make their job a little easier.