Regionalizing Fire Services and Breaking home rule

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Permalink Reply by Jeffrey Post on May 9, 2008 at 8:56am

The federal fire departments have really gotten on board with this concept. The major problem being, at times there are geographical obstacles within the "department" as most military installations do not abut each other. However, training, equipment and other resources seem to flow easy, and at a cost savings. As with any regionialization, there will be bugs to work out. On the other hand, especially here in New England, it will take a long time to break the "territories" that exist. It dosen't make sense to have three tower ladders, two of them a mile apart, serving a town of 15 square miles or so, just becuase they are in different tax districts.I am in favor of regionalizing, so long as common sense prevails.

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Permalink Reply by Dennis E Sampson on May 9, 2008 at 10:07pm

Hey Jeff,

In Monmouty County NJ, Fort Monmouty Has resources that are used quite frequently to assist local communities sucn as Haz-mat, Tec Rescue, Rit and manpower. They also share their training facilities when requested. As for the redundancy of specific equipment it takes its toll on the taxpayer as well as the fire service at replacement time. When you talk about closing companies or consolidating to one building to better serve by pooling manpower not so much the equipment ,it's voo-doo. Its shocking to see millions of dollars of equipment sit in a firehouse because there is no one to man it. About 10 yrs ago a citizen wrote about a fire truck that pulled up for a fire with a driver ,he left the truck running and returned an hr latter, The citizen stated it was a half million taxi cab. As a taxpayer myself, I have a problem spending a million dollars on a tower ladder for a company with 3 responding members only at night with 4 towers surounding us. Put us in one building wtih a 75/100' stick manned as 2nd out and a different resource locally at a cost much lower is more realistic. It's just a matter of time !!!!

STAFE SAFE !! Dennis

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Permalink Reply by Paul Lomske on May 10, 2008 at 2:47pm

In my area, a better way needs to be looked at.
I think the local government should take a more active role in assuring a good standard of Fire & EMS service.
County Commisioners, Township Trustees, Village Mayors, council members, whoever.
A county tax, overseen and distributed properly, would be better IMO.
There are also departments on outer edges of counties that have coverage areas outside their county into an adjoining county.

Regionalizing and breaking home rule may need to come about because of the people within a department, the people served by a department and increased demands due to urban growth.

To me, regionalizing comes about from 3 main areas:
1. Common sense, reason and logic used to better manage resources for better community service.
2. Degrading department, or departments, recognizing the signs and doing something about it.
3. Full-blown failure of a dept(s). Point of no return reached or crossed.

Maybe more reasons, or combinations of the three?

Some related articles from FE which talk about signs and symptons that may lead to regionalizing:

RESPONDING TO THE NEED FOR CHANGE: ONE DEPARTMENT’S EXPERIENCE
Jim Grady
March 1, 2006

Motivating Your Volunteer Department
CHARLIE HEFLIN
March 1, 2008

KEEP MEMBERS FROM "VOTING WITH THEIR FEET"
John Fitzwilliam
January 1, 2001

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Permalink Reply by Dennis E Sampson on May 10, 2008 at 8:40pm

Hey Paul,

I started this discussion solely on the premise of gathering information to at some point in the near future to make a stand on the need to regionalize. The three points you have mentioned have all ready accured in my county and I totally agree that local and county government need to play a bigger role. You have hit it on the head when stating this. But in Monmouth County this is not even on the minds or agenda of those it should be. They feel all the FD's are fine because they are filled with smoke and mirrors and cannot see they are ready to implode. My Dept. has had problems for quite some time and trying to deal with it now. What we get in return is statements such as, "we will do whatever it takes to make sure it does not happen". And when someone gets hurt they are never to be found. Right away it becomes the ?'s problem because they should have done something! When Quite a few have been trying for years. The Volunteer fire service blames the career Depts for all that happens incluiding regionalization, when in actuallity we are our own worst enemy ! Thanks for the comments, They support highly what I have been trying to pass on to others.I will also be looking at the back issues for the articles.

STAY SAFE !! Dennis

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Permalink Reply by Adam Kaelin on October 20, 2008 at 9:28pm

If you are looking for studies and evaluations of the process, check the EFO papers at the NECT Learning Resource Ctr. Many of these are available for download in PDF format.

http://www.lrc.dhs.gov/index.html

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Permalink Reply by Dennis E Sampson on October 22, 2008 at 2:53pm

Adam,

Thanks for your reply but I am no longer in a position to make an effort to see this come to light. You see, because I am very progressive and believe in following policy and truly believe that in my town that this has to happen politics have taken its toll and I have been removed from the Fire Department because I do my job.(see suspended without due -process in groupes fire service law) It is truly a shame to see that in my 35 years that nothing has realy changed in the Volunteer service bringing the tremendous shortfall of volunteerism nation wide.

Thanks again for your Reply

STAY SAFE !! Dennis

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