New ordinance lets Tyrone’s fire companies bill insurers for response costs

Tyrone’s volunteer fire companies have a new way to recoup what it costs to roll out on a call. At its August 9, 2021 meeting, Borough Council adopted Ordinance No. 1453, which authorizes the Fire Companies to financially recover their expenses from insurance companies.

What the ordinance authorizes

The measure gives the fire companies the standing to seek reimbursement from insurers for the expenses tied to responding to incidents — for example, the apparatus, equipment, materials, and personnel time involved in handling a vehicle crash, a hazardous spill, or a structure fire. Cost-recovery billing of this kind is typically directed at the responsible party’s insurance carrier rather than at residents themselves, and many policies include coverage that can pay such claims.

For an all-volunteer service, the stakes are practical. Foam, absorbents, and other single-use materials are consumed on a call and have to be replaced; equipment wears out; and fuel and supplies are a recurring drain on company budgets. Recovering those costs from the parties whose insurance is meant to cover them helps keep the burden off the Borough’s general taxpayers.

Why it came before Council

Because the fire companies operate under the Borough’s authority, the power to pursue this kind of cost recovery has to be granted by Council through an ordinance. Ordinance No. 1453 supplies that authorization. The Borough’s fire service is governed by Chapter 20, Fire Department of the Tyrone Borough Code.

Council adopted the ordinance with the members present voting in favor.

On file: the full text of Ordinance No. 1453 is available from the Borough Office, 1100 Logan Avenue. The Borough’s fire service is established under Chapter 20, Fire Department of the Tyrone Borough Code, online at ecode360.com/TY1357.