The Lick Hill Volunteer Fire Department will no longer be dispatched to emergency situations.
According to county officials, Summit Township voted to stop using Lick Hill for services within their township back in December. Herman VFD and nearby fire departments will now be responsible for all calls in Summit.
Summit Township Supervisor Willie Adams described the situation as “ongoing over the last couple of years.” He says issues began with the major fire that happened at the Hunter Truck facility on Route 38 back in 2021.
Following the fire, Adams says supervisors asked for equipment testing reports from the fire department. He says they were not provided in a timely manner.
“This was a chance for them to prove their equipment was in good condition and they didn’t do it,” Adams said.
He says there were also questions that arose about the department’s finances. Supervisors requested an audit, which Adams said only included a check registry with no payee listed.
That’s when township supervisors opted to give a majority of the state fire relief funding to the Herman VFD. Adams estimated that funding was between $25,000 to $30,000 yearly.
County emergency officials reached out to Lick Hill to tell members that their workman’s compensation insurance was going to be removed, but did not hear back.
Adams believes that Summit Township will have more than adequate coverage when it comes to emergency situations.
“I think between Herman VFD and mutual aid, our emergency response times will be just as good if not better.”
Officials also say that according to the county’s municipal code, emergency services fall under the township’s responsibility which is why the county placed Lick Hill out of service.
