On the 13th anniversary of 9/11, which cost emergency service providers their lives and put many more in harm's way, a move to recoup emergency costs in Salisbury Township seemed no closer to becoming a reality.

However, help may be on the way in the form of a new state law or township executive order.

In a show of force supporting the efforts of township Commissioner James Seagreaves, an Eastern Salisbury Fire Department volunteer fireman leading the board's effort to reimburse township emergency services, township volunteer firefighters attended the Sept. 11 commissioners' meeting and workshop.

"Unfortunately, I would not recommend the board of commissioners approve any ordinance or resolution" to recoup emergency services costs," Salisbury Township Manager Randy Soriano said, opening the approximate 30-minute workshop discussion.

Salisbury Township Solicitor Atty. John W. Ashley, who researched the First-Class Township Code, said, "This may be a good way to help finances, but the state didn't put anything in to collect.

"This may be an exceptionally good idea, but I don't find that the state allows it," Ashley said, reiterating what he said at the July 8 workshop after researching state law.

Seagreaves proposed a township ordinance to recoup emergency services costs at the June 26 township meeting. Seagreaves provided examples of other state municipalities' ordinances to recoup costs.

"How come others are doing this?" Commissioner Joanne Ackerman asked Seagreaves at the Sept. 11 meeting.

"The state doesn't say you can't do it," Seagreaves said.

"If you want to be a test case ..." Soriano said, adding, "Some people have gotten away with it because nobody's challenged it."

"This has become a pretty big issue. It would be hard to be against it," Ashley noted.

"Couldn't we pass a resolution that we agree that the fire companies should be able to charge for the cleanup, that we're giving them our blessing?" Commissioner President James A. Brown asked.

"The fire companies don't have any independent ability to charge billing," Ashley said.

"Most of the insurance companies don't pay it [fire company reimbursement billing] because they say, 'Show us your ordinance,'" Eastern Salisbury Fire Department Fire Chief Dave Tomcics told commissioners.

"We could probably make it an administrative policy coming from me," Soriano said of backing township emergency services reimbursements, which would cover the police and public works departments.

"What Randy [Soriano] came up with sounds good," Commissioner Robert Martucci, Jr. said.

Commissioners by consensus backed Soriano to explore writing a policy.

"I think some of us have to go to Harrisburg," Ackerman said.

Pennsylvania House of Representatives House Bill 2427 provides volunteer fire and rescue departments with the ability to establish emergency response payment programs allowing departments to recoup costs for real and reasonable expenses incurred during a bona fide emergency response.

"We need to get the local legislators to sponsor this," Soriano said.

The Pennsylvania House Veterans Affairs and Emergency Preparedness Committee will hold a public hearing on HB 2427 1 p.m. Sept. 30, Kennett Fire Company No. 1, 301 Dalmatian St., Kennett Square, Chester County.

Sean Meder, president, Pennsylvania Fire Recovery Service, Allentown, which Salisbury fire companies use as their third-party EMS billing firm, is expected to testify at the hearing.

"Perhaps the board can support that bill," Soriano said.

"I think we have to go to the residents," Ackerman said.

Seagreaves' proposal had the backing of Salisbury Township Police Chief Allen W. Stiles and Salisbury Township Director of Public Works John Andreas.

A 1988 state oil-spill ordinance covers petroleum and chemical spills that cause fires and permits the township to attempt to recoup the cost to clean up oil spills.

State law doesn't cover the cost of fires, vehicular accidents and search and rescue.