Tue Feb 09 2010
By JENNY DERRINGER
After jumping approximately another 25 cents a gallon last week, ever-rising gas prices are putting a crimp in everyone's budget. Fuel costs at the pumps fluctuate on a weekly basis with seemingly no clear reason.
Among those having to deal with high gas prices are area fire departments and no one can brag about the mileage any of their vehicles get.
According to South Richland Fire Chief Bob Lehman, the rescue squads may get on average 10 mpg. And there's no point in even trying to figure out what kind of mileage the fire trucks get. Upon arrival at a fire scene, a truck may be parked and running for several hours while firefighters tackle the emergency at hand.
South Richland Fire Department has six vehicles -- two that use unleaded gasoline and four that use diesel fuel -- and these days, diesel fuel is more than $4 a gallon for the average consumer.
Lehman added that they get their fuel at a reduced rate when buying in bulk from a distributor. This is stored in 500-gallon tanks.
Budgets for rural fire departments are funded by township coffers. Departments don't charge for fire runs, but instead make up some of their expenses through billing for medical runs. South Richland and Defiance go through the same billing company which follows a set rate for mileage, as well as basic and advanced life support.
A basic run for the two departments is $400 plus eight cents a mile, an advanced life support I run is $600 plus 10 cents a mile and an advanced life support II run is $700 plus 10 cents a mile.
"There is a ceiling on what we charge because of Medicare," added Dave Kunesh, Richland Township clerk. "We monitor it, but at this point, we follow what the city (Defiance) does, it's the same rate."
So, because of Medicare, departments can't increase their rates whenever they want to take a bite out of the rising fuel prices. Each year though, Medicare does make allowances for increased rates, noted Dan Frederick, fire chief of Highland Township Fire Department.
In addition, rural departments that deliver water to residents in their tankers have increased the delivery price because of the gasoline expenses ever-rising.
For the Defiance Fire Department alone, the budget for fuel has increased by more than $4,000 in the past three years. In 2006, explained Assistant Fire Chief Pete Schlosser, the department used $10,711 in fuel. In 2007, $12,014 in fuel was consumed by the department.
For 2008, $15,000 has been budgeted, with the firefighters using $1,069 in March alone -- accounting for 229 gallons of diesel fuel and 93 gallons of unleaded gas.
By buying at a bulk rate, said Schlosser, the negotiated price for fuel in March as $2.99 for a gallon of gas and $3.62 a gallon for diesel.
In addition, gas rates do effect the actions of volunteer firefighters and instructors.
"It puts a crimp on volunteers wanting to go to different seminars," added Lehman. "Local seminars they will go to. But out of town, they are hesitant with the price of fuel."
Frederick, who also serves as the public safety coordinator at Four County Career Center, explained that in providing instructors for area fire and EMS training, to cut down on expenses, sometimes it's easier to find local instructors than getting one from farther out of the region.
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