Following Arrests, Auditor General’s Office Plans To Review Books At Fireman’s Relief Association

An audit team from the Pennsylvania Auditor General’s Office will crack open the books at the Falls Township Fire Company Fireman’s Relief Association following the arrest of two former top officials.

Auditor General Eugene DePasquale’s office announced the audit and called the review of the books “critical.”

“I directed my team to begin the audit immediately because I want make sure state funds were used properly to help volunteer emergency services save lives and protect communities,” DePasquale said. “I want a full accounting of the VFRA finances. This examination is critical, given the heightened concerns raised by these allegations of theft.”

The audit comes in the wake of the arrests of former fire company President Gary N. Margerum, 61, and former fire company treasurer and President Christopher Carlin, 48, both of Falls Township’s Levittown section. As LevittownNow.com exclusively reported last month, the men struck a tentative deal with prosecutors that would knock their felony count of theft of funds to a misdemeanor if the money they are accused of stealing is paid back before trial. According to court papers, Carlin stole approximately $34,896 from the fire company and Margerum stole $11,197.

Fire company relief associations are separate legal entities from the fire department and receive funds through the government. They can use their funds to purchase safety equipment, firefighting items and supplies for their associated fire company.

The Falls Township Fire Company Fireman’s Relief Association spent $346,890 to support fire company operations and volunteer firefighters in 2014 and 2015. The nonprofit had $110,498 in cash and $122,233 in investments as of December 31, 2015 while receiving $83,636 in state funding.

The auditor general’s office released a report on the relief association in 2017 that covers the period of January 2014 to December 2015. It found that the relief association handled funds properly and took “appropriate corrective action” to fix relatively minor past dificenies.

Since discovering the alleged theft from the fire company, a new team of volunteers has taken command at the fire company.

“We intend to ensure that this issue never repeats itself and dedicate ourselves to better serve the residents of Falls Township,” the Falls Township Fire Company said in a statement in August.

DePasquale said his team will check for financial irregularities involving the fire company’s relief association and not the fire company’s general funds. It will also recommend any needed changes and share the completed report with the public and law enforcement.

“Every penny of volunteer firefighter relief funding is critical to help serve local residents. It is absolutely essential these tax dollars are used and managed properly,” the auditor general said in a statement.