Volunteer firefighters pay their community rent in so many ways, even as they face danger from heat, flames, carbon monoxide and other toxic substances, to say nothing of the physical and mental stress they undergo.

Now in the midst of a worldwide pandemic, these brave men and women, these extraordinary first responders, face another major challenge - sufficient funding to keep their lifesaving equipment, machinery and firehouses in good repair and up to date.

Because of the COVID-19 scourge, which is now in its 10th month, traditional sources of self-funding engineered by volunteer fire companies have dried up. Annual carnivals, fairs and weekly bingo games and other small games of chance, which were the lifeblood of self-support, were either canceled or scaled back to make the effort much less effective than in prior years.

While annual appeals do help, most fire companies need assistance from the municipalities they serve. Many municipalities include a line-item stipend to help these fire companies; others use a dedicated fire tax to ensure a steady stream of revenue. Each borough and township has the authority to enact a fire tax in accordance with state law.

In most cases, this might amount to a portion of a mill to 2 mills of real estate tax revenue set aside from the pot that a municipality receives from taxpayers each year.

Throughout the five-county Times News area, municipal officials use various funding methods to ensure the viability of the volunteer fire organizations in their communities.

Some examples: Nesquehoning dedicates 1.95 mills for fire protection, which will result in about $59,400 of the anticipated $129,480.48 in the 2021 budget for fire service through the borough’s three fire companies - New Columbus, Hauto and Nesquehoning Hose.

Lansford uses a 1.5-mill fire tax to help American Fire Co. No. 1, which was unable to hold many of its fundraisers this year.

The West End Fire Co. in Brodheadsville, Chestnuthill Township, will receive the proceeds from about a quarter-mill fire tax.

Tamaqua Borough Council is pondering such a tax. Councilman Brian Connoly has proposed a 2-mill fire tax, but not all council members are on board with this idea. Some fear that residents will fail to donate to the fire company’s annual appeal if they feel they have already paid through a fire tax.

Many, including Tamaqua, have used an annual “donation” from the general fund. In a year when there are unanticipated expenses and less overall revenues, the fire department donation might get sidetracked, and in a year when a department’s own fundraising is minimized, such as it has been in 2020, this can lead to a major financial shortfall.

We owe a huge debt, and many thanks to these dedicated volunteers who protect us from fire and other unseen dangers in our communities. The lifesaving services they provide are never more appreciated than when disaster strikes.

Establishing a dedicated tax allows planners to apply revenue estimates over a period of years to manage capital projects that take into account the replacement schedule of fire apparatus and the periodic need for equipment and fire station upgrades.

A new fire engine can cost $500,000 to $750,000 while a ladder truck unit can easily top $1.5 million. These are big numbers that can’t be met by occasional raffles or other fundraisers.

For municipalities considering a fire tax, it might be wise to follow the example of some communities in Pennsylvania which set up study commissions to evaluate the pros and cons of this move.

Such a study in Carlisle borough in south-central Pennsylvania found that a fire tax was the best way to provide a reliable and consistent source of funding to keep pace with increasing costs.

I have sounded the alarm previously about the shrinking number of volunteers, which has contributed to the fear of diminished fire protection in our communities. There have been mergers and other measures that underscore the dire nature of the problem.

By Bruce Frassinelli | tneditor@tnonline.com