Local UPCOG Appeals Board to Donate Smoke Detectors

The Upper Pine Creek Council of Governments, UPCOG, Appeals Board was established in 2004 and for the last seven years has collected a modest fee for each appeals hearing. IN an effort to use that money in a way that will do the most good, the Appeals Board has donated 250 smoke detectors to the counties served by UPCOG. Smoke detectors have been proven to greatly reduce the potential for serious injury and loss of life by alerting people in the early stages of a fire. UPCOG has donated 100 smoke detectors to both Potter and Tioga Counties and another 50 to McKean County.



The UPCOG Board is made up of eight members and two alternates, all of whom are professionals in their fields, many with 30-40 years of experience in the building industry. The members are volunteers and are not compensated for their work on the Board. They come from various backgrounds, including builders, plumbers, electricians, architects, and other fields in the building industry. The organization serves the general public and businesses to render quick and fair judgments of appeals including variances, extensions of time, and the interpretation of the code. The Board represents more than 45 municipalities in Tioga and Potter Counties, as well as the eastern edge of McKean County. They work diligently to resolve code related issues and strive to maintain a sense of fairness, all while upholding the Code and staying within safety standards in order to protect human lives. Protecting life and limb is the basic principle and mission of the UPCOG Appeals Board, but they also strive to protect financial and emotional interests in order to fully protect human life. Using their vast experience, the board makes all decisions carefully and with due seriousness.
If you are a family in need of a smoke detector in Tioga County please contact Jeff Quick, President of the Tioga County Firemen’s Association, at 814-326-0880. In Potter County, please contact Tim Spencer of Emergency Services at 814-598-4142. In McKean County, please contact Bruce Manning, Director of McKean County Emergency Management, at 814-887-5070 ext. 13. Supplies are limited and will be given on a first-come, first-served basis.