[HISTORY: Adopted by the Board of Supervisors of the Township
of Unity as indicated in article histories. Amendments noted where
applicable.]
[Adopted 5-14-2009 by Ord. No. O-8-2009]
A.
Those
volunteer fire departments located within the geopolitical boundaries
of Unity Township, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, and the Unity
Township Fire Bureau are hereby permitted to charge and may initiate
user fees for the delivery of emergency fire department services,
personnel, supplies, and equipment to the scene of:
(1)
Motor vehicle accidents, emergencies and/or fires;
(2)
House, barn, shed and commercial structure emergencies
and/or fires;
(3)
Fires and other emergencies occurring during the course
of construction;
(4)
Fires and other emergencies occurring during the course
of excavation;
(5)
Hazardous material spills;
(6)
Fires and other emergencies caused by electrical supply
malfunction; and
(7)
Any other emergency alarm to which a volunteer fire
department (VFD) responds or services it provides that constitute
an emergency service.
B.
The
service fees shall be at a rate which represents the usual, customary
and reasonable costs (UCR) of supplying any service, personnel, supplies
and equipment. Such costs may vary based on the actual costs of the
individual occurrence and may fluctuate accordingly.
The service fees shall be charged to the responsible or at-fault
driver and shall be initially filed with his motor vehicle insurance
carrier as an add-on cost of any claim for damages to vehicles, property
and/or injuries as a result of the insured's negligence. Other
claims shall be charged against the person, corporation, company or
firm deemed to be responsible for bringing about the need for the
service. The claim costs shall be billed to the insurance company,
the owner of a vehicle, owner of property, or other responsible parties.
The Unity Township Fire Bureau may make rules or regulations
for the various VFDs and from time to time may amend, revoke or add
rules and regulations for third-party billing as it may deem necessary
or expedient for the collection of fees permitted under this article.
This shall include entering into agreements with third-party billing
companies for the billing, collection and distribution of such fees.
All amounts collected as a result of this article shall be placed
into a fund established by the Unity Township Fire Bureau, to be used
exclusively for supplies and equipment for the various VFDs.