December 5th, 2014 by WCBC Radio

A Baltimore Pike volunteer firefighter who was charged with arson Wednesday in connection with a string of city fires- had a previous arson conviction and had served time in jail for those 2009 offenses that occurred in downtown Cumberland. Patrick Levi Kneisley, 23, of Virginia Avenue, Cumberland, is being held on $250,000 bond at the Allegany County Detention Center. The fact that Kneisley was serving as a volunteer for the fire department given his criminal background has raised another red flag about operations of the local volunteer fire departments.  Baltimore Pike is one of several area volunteer departments that have run into trouble in the past few years, with most of the incidents financial related. Allegany County Emergency Service Director Dick Devore was a guest on WCBC’s “Dave Norman Show” to shed some light on Kneisley’s involvement with the fire department…