The vote was taken after comments from Marvin Reist, president of the Rescue Fire Company in Susquehanna Township, and Tim Neiter, chief of the Halifax Fire Department. Harrisburg Fire Bureau Chief Brian Enterline was also in attendance as a demonstration of support for the measure.
“This tax credit will help the volunteerism which is continually dropping throughout the county and the nation,” Reist said. Neiter added that the volunteers at his fire company logged roughly 9,840 hours last year, and that “any initiative that can be done to support them” is greatly appreciated. Commisioner Chad Saylor said that the dropping numbers of volunteer fire fighters across the country was “a real crisis.”
“To do something like this, it’s not enough to say thank you,” Saylor said. “But it is something. Hopefully it’s a tool you guys can use to attract more men and women to your ranks. And hopefully the municipalities will join us.”If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation.