| $500,000 in Grants Received for Ambulance Merger of Hanover Area Volunteer Fire Rescue to Improve Community Safety
Hanover, PA – Penn Township Volunteer Emergency Services President Bruce Yealy announced today that the proposed Hanover Area Volunteer Fire Rescue merger has received nearly $500,000 of grant support for Emergency Medical Services and Administrative costs from the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development and the Hanover, PA based Warehime Foundation to improve services and manage costs to taxpayers. “Fire and Emergency Medical Services are a vital and necessary service that the communities throughout Pennsylvania rely on daily,” Yealy said. “Cooperation and consolidation of these services will not only control costs to the taxpayers but will ensure that they remain a locally owned and operated presence within the communities they serve for years to come.” The grant funds will be used to purchase a new ambulance, refurbish a second ambulance and assist with the administrative costs of the new regional Fire Chief who was appointed earlier this year. The merger of the volunteer division of the recently created Hanover Area Fire Rescue Commission, which was created by Hanover Borough and Penn Township in 2017, will result in a stronger and more efficient volunteer organization due to the consolidation of administrative and operational functions. The consolidated volunteer fire and ambulance company will have over 50 active volunteer members operating out of three fire stations and will combine coverage areas focusing on providing service to Hanover Borough and Penn Township, York County. “Receiving these grants will go miles in strengthening emergency services in southwestern York County” said Yealy, President of Penn Township. “The merger has been a planned step by step process we’ve been working on for the last few years” he said. “Everyone is looking forward to the new stronger, more resilient organization that lies ahead.” The Penn Township Volunteer Emergency Services was formed in 2004 from the independent volunteer fire companies and ambulance association in Penn Township. The proposed Hanover Area Volunteer Fire Rescue will consolidate the volunteer fire-rescue, special operations, scuba and ambulance services from Hanover Borough and Penn Township, York County and will help create one of the first all-hazard emergency service organizations in Pennsylvania. Media Contact: Bruce Yealy, PTVES, 717-465-7956 |