PRINTER'S NO. 2242
No. 1744 Session of 1983
INTRODUCED BY McVERRY, ANGSTADT, GRIECO, JAROLIN, FEE, STEVENS,
WACHOB, OLASZ, D. W. SNYDER, CESSAR, MADIGAN, MARMION, TELEK,
ARTY, PHILLIPS, McCALL, NOYE, PITTS, BUNT, CIVERA, BOOK,
GANNON, FISCHER, CLARK, JOHNSON, LASHINGER, E. Z. TAYLOR,
DeLUCA, PETRARCA, HERMAN, GLADECK, SEMMEL, PRESTON AND
MICHLOVIC, DECEMBER 5, 1983
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON LOCAL GOVERNMENT, DECEMBER 5, 1983
AN ACT
1 Amending the act of July 15, 1976 (P.L.1036, No.208), entitled,
2 as amended, "An act authorizing the indebtedness, with the
3 approval of the electors, of twenty-five million dollars for
4 loans to volunteer fire companies, volunteer ambulance
5 services and volunteer rescue squads for the purpose of
6 establishing or modernizing facilities to house fire fighting
7 apparatus equipment, ambulances, and rescue vehicles, and for
8 purchasing new fire fighting apparatus equipment, ambulances,
9 and rescue vehicles, protective and communications equipment,
10 and any other accessory equipment necessary for the proper
11 performance of such organizations' duties," providing for
12 loans to volunteer fire companies, ambulance services and
13 rescue squads established by municipal authorities.
14 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
15 hereby enacts as follows:
16 Section 1. The definitions of "volunteer ambulance service,"
17 "volunteer fire company" and "volunteer rescue service" in
18 section 3 of the act of July 15, 1976 (P.L.1036, No.208), known
19 as the Volunteer Fire Company, Ambulance Service and Rescue
20 Squad Assistance Act, are amended to read:
21 Section 3. Definitions.--As used in this act:
1 * * *
2 "Volunteer ambulance service" means any nonprofit chartered
3 corporation, association, or organization located in this
4 Commonwealth and which is regularly engaged in the service of
5 providing emergency medical care and transportation of patients.
6 The term shall also include a volunteer ambulance service
7 established by a municipal authority organized under the act of
8 May 2, 1945 (P.L.382, No.164), known as the "Municipality
9 Authorities Act of 1945."
10 "Volunteer fire company" means any nonprofit chartered
11 corporation, association or organization located in this
12 Commonwealth which provides fire protection services and other
13 voluntary emergency services within the Commonwealth. Voluntary
14 emergency services provided by a volunteer fire company may
15 include voluntary ambulance and voluntary rescue services. The
16 term shall also include a volunteer fire company established by
17 a municipal authority organized under the "Municipality
18 Authorities Act of 1945."
19 "Volunteer rescue service" means any nonprofit chartered
20 corporation, association or organization located in this
21 Commonwealth which provides rescue services in the Commonwealth.
22 The term shall also include a volunteer rescue service
23 established by a municipal authority organized under the
24 "Municipality Authorities Act of 1945."
25 * * *
26 Section 2. Section 4(c) and (g) of the act, amended June 13,
27 1980 (P.L.217, No.65), are amended to read:
28 Section 4. Assistance to Volunteer Fire Companies, Ambulance
29 Service and Rescue Squads.--* * *
30 (c) Every application for a loan under this act shall be
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1 accompanied by a notarized financial statement of the volunteer
2 fire company, ambulance service or rescue squad; and a financial
3 plan to show amount of assets and projected revenues for the
4 repayment of the loan, any other obligations of the volunteer
5 company, and operating expense over the period of the loan.
6 Every application shall be accompanied by evidence sufficient to
7 show that all costs except the amount of the loan have been
8 obtained by assets of the volunteer company and other loans or
9 sources of revenue. If a volunteer fire company, ambulance
10 service or rescue squad is unable to meet the 20% requirement of
11 subsection (a), then a political subdivision which is served by
12 the volunteer company or the municipal authority which
13 established the volunteer company may pledge its credit in the
14 amount of funds necessary to satisfy the 20% requirement and, if
15 it does so, shall cosign the application submitted by the
16 volunteer company.
17 * * *
18 (g) A volunteer fire company, ambulance service and rescue
19 squad shall be eligible for a loan under this act regardless of
20 legal ownership in whole or part by any political subdivision or
21 municipal authority of any facilities or apparatus equipment
22 used by the volunteer fire company, volunteer ambulance and
23 volunteer rescue squad. Any equipment or facilities financed
24 under this act may be transferred to a political subdivision
25 served by the volunteer fire company, volunteer ambulance
26 service or volunteer rescue squad, or to any municipal
27 authority, subject to such security as shall be determined by
28 the department.
29 Section 3. This act shall take effect immediately.
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