The following letter to the editor will appear in the print edition of the Main Line Suburban Life in next weeks edition. Thank you to Tredyffrin Township resident Ellen Knight for her support of the Berwyn Fire Company and its neighboring fire companies on the Upper Main Line.

To The Editor:

This is in response to Linda Stein’s 2/21/16 article about the Upper Main Line fire companies. I live in the Berwyn Fire Company service area and can only speak about that company. I am both shocked and horrified to know that only 20-25% of the residents who live within the Berwyn Fire Co.’s boundaries respond to BFC’s fundraising efforts. Even more appalling is the reported 10% response from the businesses. The remaining 75-80% of residents and 90% of businesses should be not only embarrassed, but ashamed of themselves. This is disgraceful and is in fact a “community crisis” especially since the published median income for Tredyffrin Township is $90,000 per year with around 12,000 households. Not one of the all volunteer Upper Main Line fire companies services a poor community. These men and women voluntarily put their lives on the line all day, everyday, seven days a week. They respond to 100% of those who call for their help.

Berwyn, Paoli, Malvern and 5 other volunteer fire companies responded to a call a few years ago from a member of my family. We are most grateful and forever thankful to each and every one of those responders who tried for hours and hours to save it all. No lives were lost. Many precious mementoes were saved. Fortunately, all 8 fire companies were able to respond to our call for help.

Does the public understand that only 12% of Berwyn Fire Co.’s revenue comes from fundraising, donations, grants and merchandise, that 13% comes from rentals, only 22% comes from Tredyffrin and Easttown Townships. The remaining revenue comes from Emergency Medical Billing Services. I am assuming that all of the Upper Main Line fire companies are in the same predicament financially.

Let’s go neighbors! Support your Upper Main Line fire company. Each fire company should get a 100% response from all of their residents and all their businesses. They need our help. They deserve our financial support.

Ellen S. Knight, Strafford

Source: http://www.mainlinemedianews.com/articles/2016/03/03/main_line_suburban_life/opinion/doc56d73b0c51b8f052655845.txt