Fire Law Blog Fire Service and Public Safety Legal Issues Blog by Curt Varone
By a controversial vote, the Rice Township Volunteer Fire Department was decertified as the fire service provider for Rice Township, Pennsylvania. Last night the Rice Township Board of Supervisors voted 2-1 to adopt an ordinance decertifying the department and contracting with the Wright Township Volunteer Fire Department to replace it.
According to CitizenVoice.com, the ordinance stated that “the ability of the Rice Township Volunteer Fire Company to provide adequate fire and emergency service has been compromised by a number of problems” that includes a “lack of adequately trained and qualified individuals residing in Rice Township; financial mismanagement; violations of December 2012 contract between the township and the fire department; illegal burning of refuse on fire department property and failure to maintain fire department property”.
The vote caused quite a stir among citizens of Rice Township, who had to be cleared from the meeting before the vote could be taken.
However, not everyone is unhappy with the decision. Officials with the Wright Township VFD are claiming that they are confident it is the “start of something big”.
