Firefighters Serving UProv Receive Incentive Payments

Three years ago, Upper Providence Township launched a program to offer incentives to the volunteer firefighters from the companies serving the township.

On Monday evening, representatives of five area fire companies—, , Royersford, Collegeville and Trappe—were on hand to collect the checks that will be handed out to volunteers.

“What this [does] is to try to give them some recognition and some money around the holidays to show the appreciation for the job that they do both on calls and in training,” said Don Stiteler, director of fire and emergency services in the township.

Following the meeting, Stiteler said the total set aside for the 2011 incentive program was $45,000. That breaks down to anywhere from $250 to $1,600 for individual firefighters, and it’s a nice check right before the holidays, Stiteler noted.

From Sept. 1, 2010 to Aug. 31, 2011, firefighters from the companies serving Upper Providence had their training and number of calls tracked. Using a formula, each person gets a specific point value that corresponds to an amount out of the $45,000 pot.

The more calls within the township that a person responds to and the more training exercises completed, the bigger the payment, Stiteler explained. There were more than 420 calls in Upper Providence Township during the evaluation period, he said.

When asked about any effects the program has had, Stiteler said while it hasn’t brought many new firefighters in, the incentive payments appear to be helping with firefighter retention for the companies serving the township.