Two Delco relief associations cited in audits
Audits are required by state law
Pennsylvania Auditor General Timothy DeFoor announced this week that two Delaware County volunteer firefighters’ relief associations (VFRA) were found to have minor compliance problems following a routine audit.
Ridley Park Firemen’s Relief Association was found to be in noncompliance with prior audit recommendations, with that issue being a failure to maintain a complete and accurate account of equipment purchased with relief association funds.
The Firemen’s Association of Lansdowne audit had three issues: inadequate relief association bylaws, inadequate meeting minutes and a failure to conduct annual physical inventories of equipment purchased with relief association funds.
Lansdowne Fire Company Relief Association President Thomas Young said in a phone interview Tuesday that the issues were corrected.
The lack of an equipment roster was because no new relief equipment was purchased for 2022. They did not include the old roster in the audit, but after being questioned they produced the list. They also clarified the issues with the bylaws and the minutes which Thomas said they follow.
Ridley Park Relief officials did not reply to a request for a comment.
The Department of the Auditor General distributes state aid for VFRAs and audits how the VFRAs manage the funds, which are generated by a 2% tax on fire insurance policies sold in Pennsylvania by out-ofstate companies.
In 2022, $66.7 million went to 2,514 municipalities for distribution to VFRAs to provide training, purchase equipment and insurance, and pay for death benefits for volunteer firefighters.
VFRAs may have future state aid withheld if they do not comply with applicable state laws, contracts, bylaws and administrative procedures. Relief associations are separate legal entities from the fire departments they support.
The department is required by law to audit volunteer fire relief associations and municipal pension plans that receive state aid through the department; liquid fuels tax usage by municipalities; various county offices and numerous other state government entities.
Review the latest audit report for the listed VFRAs and learn more about the Department of the Auditor General online at www. PaAuditor.gov.
The audits are required by state law.
“Relief associations provide vital support to Pennsylvania’s dedicated first responders,” DeFoor said in the press release. “Our audits make sure state aid is used to equip and protect volunteer firefighters and the communities they serve.”
The Department of the Auditor General distributes state aid for VFRAs and audits how they use the funds, which are generated by a 2% tax on fire insurance policies sold in Pennsylvania
by out-of-state companies.
In 2022, $66.7 million went to 2,514 municipalities for distribution to VFRAs to provide training, purchase equipment and insurance, and pay for death benefits for volunteer firefighters.
VFRAs may have future state aid withheld if they do not comply with applicable state laws, contracts, bylaws and administrative procedures. Relief associations are separate legal entities from the fire departments they support.
Fire departments with career firefighters receive insurance tax funds allotted through the General Municipal Pension System State Aid Program.