Supervisors, School Board Implement Tax Incentives for Volunteers

The Neshannock Township Volunteer Fire Company (NTVFC) was built on a foundation of core, dedicated volunteers who have given their time and talents to make Neshannock Township a safe place to live, work, and play.  We have remained true to this tenet as the community and our organization have evolved. 

March 2023 marks another significant milestone that is groundbreaking in our area and throughout the Commonwealth.  The Neshannock Township Supervisors, as well as the Neshannock Township School Board, have passed initiatives offering significant property and local earned income tax rebates to volunteers.  Members owning property in Neshannock Township and who meet baseline criteria for participation may qualify for this incentive.

The Fire Company is grateful for the forethought and dedication of the Supervisors and the School Board to develop such an initiative. Together with municipal and school leadership, the NTVFC emphasizes the primary mission of this program: to improve response capabilities through recruitment and retention of a core base of volunteers. 

Implementing these incentives for volunteer staff augments other initiatives that have been developed over the years including a volunteer stipend program and the addition of part-time career staffing.  Research, planning, and cooperation with local officials yields continued professional emergency response to Neshannock Township in a manner that is standards-based and more cost effective than other traditional models.

This program is structured to require responsibility on the part of the volunteers to qualify for the incentive. Eligibility requirements include a baseline level of fire incident response, training, and other administrative duties.   Additionally, only volunteer firefighters who are residents of the Township are eligible.  Tax incentives are not applied to the cadre of paid, part-time firefighting staff that the NTVFC employs. 

The Fire Company will be providing more information in the months to come in the form of an educational campaign.  The first goal of the campaign will be to encourage existing and prospective volunteers in Neshannock Township to achieve baseline service levels that will make them eligible for tax incentives.   The second goal of this campaign will be to highlight the collaborative effort of local government, school directors, and the NTVFC to make Neshannock Township a premiere community in which to live.  

If you have any questions about the program, please contact the Neshannock Township Volunteer Fire Company administrative office at 724-654-4800.  Better yet, if you wish to join as a volunteer—more information is available here!