WEST CHESTER, PA — A new compliance audit from Pennsylvania Auditor General Timothy L. DeFoor found that the West Bradford Volunteer Firemen’s Relief Association in Chester County failed to maintain adequate surety bond coverage, leaving more than $2.5 million in assets insufficiently protected during parts of a three-year period.
The audit, covering January 1, 2022, through December 31, 2024, determined that while the relief association largely complied with state laws and financial regulations, it failed to ensure its fidelity bond matched the association’s maximum cash balance — a violation of the Volunteer Firefighters’ Relief Association Act and the group’s own bylaws.
The report revealed that the association’s bond was set at $700,000, though its cash balance occasionally exceeded that amount, meaning funds were not fully safeguarded against potential fraud or financial misconduct.
Relief association officials told auditors they were unaware that account balances had exceeded the bond limit. In response to the finding, they raised the coverage to $1 million effective April 1, 2025 — a move DeFoor’s office said would be verified in the next audit.
The West Bradford Volunteer Firemen’s Relief Association manages state aid to support local volunteer firefighters through insurance coverage, equipment purchases, training, and financial assistance. The audit noted total expenditures of $302,837 during the three-year review period, including more than $159,000 for equipment and nearly $61,000 for maintenance.
The association received funding from West Bradford, East Bradford, and Newlin Townships, totaling over $113,000 in 2024 alone.
While the audit found no evidence of misused funds, DeFoor urged relief associations statewide to closely monitor cash levels and bond limits to ensure public funds remain protected.
The full audit report is available on the Pennsylvania Department of the Auditor General’s website at PaAuditor.gov.
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