DELAWARE- Volunteer fire companies hoping for a helping hand when it comes to more funding will have to wait at least another year.
A bill that would let Delaware counties charge a fire tax fee did not make it out of the chambers of the General Assembly. Now, counties will have to prove where and why they need the money.
First State fire companies are largely made up of volunteers and have been sounding the alarm about a severe lack of funding in recent weeks.
House Bill 127 which would have allowed counties to charge a fire tax to fund fire and EMS services was put on hold by its sponsor, Rep. Paul Baumbach (D-Newark).
Executive manager for Delaware's Volunteer Firefighters Association, Norman "Jay" Jones, said the bill was taken off the table to give counties the opportunity to conduct fire service studies.
"They understand that we do need adequate, sustainable funding but how much do we need?" Jones questioned. "How are those funds going to be made up and put together?"
Sussex County Councilman Mark Schaeffer said the need is clear.
"We need to provide sustainable and reoccurring revenue sources for our fire and EMS," he said. "They are under tremendous stain and pressure and they need help."
Both Sussex and New Castle counties have allocated about $200,000 in their annual budgets towards a fire service study. However, the Kent County Levy Court has yet to put up funds for the same purpose.
Attempts to contact Levy Court Commissioners were unsuccessful Monday.
Jones said $200,000 in state funding will ensure that Kent County is not left behind though.
"We are hoping it is going to show that the need is statewide," he said. "We are all dealing with the same problems just a little bit differently but it is a statewide issue."
According to DVFA, Delaware fire companies receive about half of their annual funding from the state and counties but rely on fundraising to come up with the other half.