The proposed ordinance would add points for calculating LOSAP benefits for those serving as president and vice president of the rescue squad.
By: Audrey Levine
About six years ago, the borough decided it had an opportunity to give a little back to those who volunteer at the fire companies and first aid squad and now the borough is adding a little more.
An ordinance introduced June 26 by Borough Council will add benefits in the Length of Service Awards Program (LOSAP) for two top positions in the rescue squad.
A public hearing on the ordinance will be held 6:30 p.m. Monday before a final council vote is taken.
According to Mayor Angelo Corradino, the proposed ordinance would add points for calculating LOSAP benefits for those serving as president and vice president in the rescue squad. Currently, only secretaries and treasurers are eligible.
"The LOSAP program is a deferred compensation program for the volunteer emergency service individuals," Mayor Corradino said. "We passed the original ordinance in 2001 in order to reward the present volunteers and hope that this would be an incentive to get new ones."
In the program, volunteers are awarded points for certain actions and deeds throughout the year. The amount of points earned at the end of a year has a corresponding amount of money that is transferred into a tax deferred income account from the borough.
"The borough contributes to an individual account for the time a volunteer serves as a fire or rescue squad member," said Mayor Corradino. "The amount per volunteer depends on the service he gives to the community."
The monetary amounts are determined by points received for such services as attending 60 percent of the calls that the volunteer Fire Department responds to annually (50 points), and attending certain hours of training for a maximum of either five, eight or 10 points.
Points can also be earned for attending department meetings, company drills and other miscellaneous activities.
Members of the first aid squad can also earn points for attending drills, one for each, or for doing a standby, which lasts about four hours.
Other ways to earn points include attending training courses, attending meetings, participating in department responses and other to-be-determined activities.
For the Fire Department, those members who receive between 50 and 69 points in a calendar year will receive $300, while someone who accumulates between 70 and 89 points receives $400. Earning 90 points or more garners a $500 reward.
The rescue squad rewards $300 to those earning between 50 and 79 points. For 80 to 99 points, the volunteer can earn $400, and someone who garners 100 points or more will be entitled to the $500 reward.
Rescue Squad Chief Rick Straszewski, who has been a member since 1999, said he hopes the program will encourage more volunteers to join the squad. He said many who had already retired once it was in place expressed their wishes that the program had been enacted earlier so they could have been eligible for the rewards.
"I think this is a great idea," he said. "It’s nice to be recognized."

