The William Cameron Engine Company of Lewisburg, Pennsylvania, a nonprofit corporation organized and existing under and by virtue of the laws of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, with principal facilities located at 11 Buffalo Road, Lewisburg, Union County, Pennsylvania, is hereby designated as the officially recognized fire company for the Borough.
[HISTORY: Adopted by the Borough Council of the Borough of Lewisburg as indicated in article histories. Amendments noted where applicable.]
[Adopted 5-18-1993 by Ord. No. 885]
[Amended 12-20-2022 by Ord. No. 1072]
The aforesaid fire company is hereby authorized to perform the following activities:
A.
To provide such services to the Borough as may be necessary for the protection of property and persons situate therein, which include, by way of example and not of limitation, the extinguishment and prevention of loss of life and property from fire, automobile accidents, medical emergencies, hazardous materials incidents and other dangerous situations.
B.
To provide nonemergency and public service functions, such as, again by way of example and not of limitation, removing water from property after storms, and assisting in the removal, abatement and prevention of damage or injury to persons or property, whether through natural causes or man-made situations.
C.
To conduct and participate in such training activities and drills, either within or outside of the Borough, as may be deemed necessary by the officers of the said fire company to maintain proficiency in providing service.
D.
To respond to calls and provide services to municipalities outside of the Borough.
In addition to actually participating in the activities of the fire company as authorized in § 32-2 of this article, or in going to or returning from any activity, the members of the aforesaid fire company are also hereby authorized to perform the following activities:
A.
To engage in any type of drill, training, ceremony, practice, test or parade when duly called for or authorized by an officer or officers of the said fire company.
B.
To engage in fund-raising activities for the said fire company when authorized by an officer or officers of such fire company.
C.
To engage in the performance of any other duty or activity authorized by any officer of the said fire company.
[Adopted 7-15-2025 by Ord. No. 1088]
A.
Since in the course of performing services as the official and authorized emergency responders for the Borough, the Fire Departments[1] have and will incur certain costs and expenses for materials, equipment and supplies, all costs and expenses incurred by the Fire Departments in response to emergency and non-emergency incidents within the Borough shall, to the extent permitted by law, be recoverable by the Fire Departments.
[1]
Editor's Note: The introductory provisions of this ordinance provided, in part, "Borough Council has recognized and designated the William Cameron Engine Company, together with any other fire departments the said designee may request for assistance as needed, as its official and authorized responders for providing emergency services within the Borough or through a mutual aid agreement, hereinafter collectively referred to as the 'Fire Departments.'"
B.
The Fire Departments who respond to a fire in another fire department's service area are not authorized by this article to recover their costs and expenses. Only the Fire Departments who provide service within the Borough may recover their costs and expenses pursuant to this article.
C.
To facilitate the recovery of their costs and expenses, the Fire Departments may utilize any customary or accepted business procedure, including, but not limited to, sending an invoice to any person or persons, corporations, or other legal entity, party or organization, which has received or benefitted from the response services of the Fire Departments. If permitted by law, the Fire Departments may send such invoices directly to the affected party's insurance carrier. The Fire Departments shall have the authority to set forth on any such invoice the terms and conditions expected for reimbursement.
D.
Borough Council may, by resolution, from time to time, establish, revise, amend, or rescind a schedule of fees for the services, tools, equipment, apparatus, materials or supplies used for official emergency or non-emergency responses. An initial fee schedule is attached hereto, made a part hereof and marked as Exhibit A.[2]
[2]
Editor’s Note: Exhibit A is on file in the Borough offices.
E.
In the event that any claim for reimbursement is denied by any party or insurance carrier, the Fire Departments shall have the authority to authorize such legal action, at their expense, as may be necessary to enforce the claim and this article or, in their discretion, to withdraw or discontinue any claim for reimbursement.
F.
In the event that any party or insurance carrier fails to pay any invoice described herein within 30 days of mailing or delivery of such invoice or notice of charges, the Fire Departments who mailed or delivered such invoice may recover and collect such charges and invoices from the insurance carrier to whom such invoice or notice of charges was given, together with interest, costs and attorney's fees, in any manner provided by law, including, without limitation, a civil action at law.
G.
In addition to the aforesaid costs and expenses, the Fire Departments are hereby authorized to collect any other additional fee or charge as may be sanctioned by the Hazardous Material Emergency Planning and Response Act, hereinafter referred to as the "Act,"[3] or as may be permitted by any other statute or law or by case or common law.
[3]
Editor's Note: See 35 P.S. § 6022.101 et seq.
H.
This article recognizes that the Fire Departments may engage a third-party billing service to recover their costs and expenses. To the extent a third-party billing service is engaged to recover said costs and expenses, any fees or charges associated with utilizing said third-party billing service shall be first reviewed and approved by the Borough. Subject to such review and approval by the Borough, the Fire Departments or third-party billing service shall be authorized to collect reasonable interest, together with reasonable administrative fees associated with recovering the said costs and expenses in addition to any and all additional fees as may be authorized by the Act or any other statute or law.
I.
The Borough shall not be responsible for any aspect of the recovery of the costs, expenses or fees authorized by this article, which shall be the responsibility of the Fire Departments or the third-party billing service.
All provisions of any other ordinances granting authority to the Borough, or any of its agencies, to collect monies for reasonable costs and expenses, which are not specifically changed or inconsistent with this article, are deemed to be continuing and shall remain in full force and effect.
All ordinances or parts of ordinances inconsistent herewith be and the same are hereby repealed.
This article shall become effective immediately upon enactment.