Fire costs could be passed to Irwin property owners
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Irwin property owners could be getting bills from the borough volunteer fire department.
Council is considering a request by fire Chief Justin Mochar to consider amending an ordinance authorizing the department's ambulance unit to bill insurance companies for emergency services to include billing of property owners for services and equipment used at fires.
The ordinance - which could be considered as early as the Nov. 10 council meeting - would authorize the fire department to take property owners who ignore payment before a magistrate.
The department uses Texas-based Revenue Recovery to bill third parties and property owners.
"About half of the [fire] insurance companies we bill don't respond," Chief Mochar noted. "That's when bills are sent to property owners. Some ignore the bills and others won't provide insurance information."
Solicitor Alan Berk said: "If approved, the ordinance would allow the fire department to bill the insurance company first. If the insurance company fails to pay, the department would be able to bill the property owner."
Chief Mochar proposed a schedule of services and fees to be outlined in the new ordinance. There would be an established fee for use of the department's four trucks, the squad pickup, and some emergency equipment.
Proposed costs for apparatus dispatched to a fire or an accident in the borough are: engine, $600; rescue pumper, $700; ladder truck 1, $700; ladder truck 2, $700; and the squad, $300.
Response fees proposed were: dispatch fire, $85; false alarm, $300; unauthorized control burn, $450; collision investigation only, $325; non-hazmat roadway cleanup, $200; inspector, $200; investigator, $200; minor extrication, $150; major extrication, $300; assist medical treatment on scene, $100; forcible entry, $100; and traffic control, $100 per hour.
Equipment costs would range from $8.50 per pair of disposable latex gloves and $25 for a broom and assorted hands tool, to $350 each for heavy rescue tools.
First Published October 28, 2010 12:00 am
