Republicans: July 2008 Archives

I just want to say this for the record. I am gooood!

At about 8:30 on Wednesday night, I was sitting on the steps outside the Dover fire hall, waiting for the 27 Republican committee members inside to pick their candidate for the 196th district's House of Representatives race. Brock Parker from the York Dispatch was there, too.

We were discussing the likeliness of the respective candidates. I told Brock, "My money's on Seth Grove."

Just then, we saw a couple of people exiting the hall. They told us that they were done inside. We entered, and saw a bunch of people giving congratulatory handshakes to ... sure enough ... Seth Grove.

Man, how do I do it?

Actually, it didn't take a genius to make that prediction. Evidently.

YORK - Senator Mike Waugh (R-York), Chairman of the Senate Firefighters and Emergency Services Caucus, will welcome nearly 30 fire chiefs from across the Commonwealth at the Pennsylvania Career Fire Chief's Association quarterly meeting being held in York on Wednesday, July 23rd at 9am.

At the invitation of Chief John Senft of the York City Department of Fire and Rescue Services, Waugh will provide opening remarks for the event being held at Fire Station #9 and will discuss fire service related legislation currently before the General Assembly.

"It is always an honor to join my fellow firefighters, and I look forward to this opportunity to speak with firefighters from across Pennsylvania and share with them the efforts we're putting forth in Harrisburg to improve fire services," said Waugh, a former assistant fire chief with Shrewsbury Volunteer Fire Company.

The Association is comprised of fire chiefs from stations across the state that employ career, or paid, firefighters, as does York City. Areas of the Commonwealth that will be represented are: Erie, Butler, Oil City, Easton, and Bethlehem, among others.

Media are welcome to attend the opening portion of the meeting, during which Waugh will also participate in a question and answer session with the fire chiefs regarding state legislative efforts. It is estimated this will last until 9:30 or 10am, after which an opportunity will be given for media to speak to the fire chiefs before they continue with the rest of their meeting.

Here's another press release from the office of state Rep. Keith Gillespie, R-Hellam Township.

State Rep. Keith Gillespie (R-Hellam), a certified emergency medical technician (EMT) and paramedic, was pleased to see the General Assembly pass and send to Gov. Ed Rendell's desk a bill on Friday that would provide tax breaks for emergency responders.

"We are seeing a significant decline in the number of volunteer firefighter, rescue and
emergency medical personnel," said Gillespie. "In addition to rewarding current emergency responders, this legislation will hopefully offer further incentive to individuals considering joining local response teams."

House Bill 377 includes a provision for a credit of $100 to be applied against the state
personal income tax liability of constituents who are active with a volunteer ambulance service or volunteer fire or rescue company. A point system will be established to set annual requirements for certification of active volunteers.

"The point system will take into account the level of involvement as an emergency
responder in measuring eligibility for the credit," Gillespie added. "Those individuals who are certified benefit from the tax break and the citizens they serve in turn benefit from a more experienced and involved public servant available in their time of need."

Gillespie is chairman of the House Firefighters and Emergency Services Caucus.
Before running for office, he spent 32 years in the health care field and became one of the first certified paramedics in Pennsylvania through a national pilot program in 1972.