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Merge Fire Companies to Save $ 1.6 M a Year
Letters to the Editor | 15 weeks 1 day ago | Comments 8
To The Editor: In an article in the Herald on July 23 by Lauren Suit, it is stated that the 2008 budgets for the fire department of the City of Wildwood and North Wildwood are $1.6 million and $1.1 million respectively. The article went on to state that a study on consolidating these two fire departments was done by Emergency Management Advisors of Fair Lawn in 2002 and paid for with an $83,500 state grant from the Department of Community Affairs. At that time, the two towns were told that merging the departments, reducing the number of volunteer fire companies, and reducing the number of fire stations, would improve safety and efficiency and the merger would save $1.1 million in its first year. At a recent City of Wildwood commissioners’ meeting when asked about this professional study, Mayor Ernie Troiano, who heads the Holly Beach Volunteer Fire Company which was slated for possible closing under this study, said he thought the study was bogus, but wouldn’t give any details on what parts of the study he thought were bogus. This was a paid study done by professionals, which could have saved the taxpayers $6.6 million to date if it had been implemented. Now North Wildwood, which would act as lead agency, is going to look for state grant funds to pay for another study according to Mayor Henfey, who is a life member of the Anglesea Volunteer Fire Company. The 2002 study advisors recommended combining the departments and having a total of 35 paid members, the closure of one volunteer fire station in North Wildwood and one in Wildwood, selling five fire engines and organizing the career department into four platoons among other suggestions. Having professional studies and then ignoring them seems like smoke screens to me. Troiano says he’s open to suggestions of reducing the budget so we don’t have this huge increase he put before the people. Well, here’s a suggestion, implement the paid professional 2002 study done by Emergency Management Advisors of Fair Lawn immediately which will benefit the taxpayers immensely. KATHLEEN McCULLOUGH Wildwood
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Comments (8)
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Mon, 08/25/2008 - 4:52pm
There will be a hiring freeze once every last connected person is finally on the city payrolls.
Mon, 08/25/2008 - 2:10pm
It seems like closing fire houses is a hot button issue wherever you are. There are probably times when it is appropriate, but it is always emotional. Having spent 36 years in the fire service, and survived a variety of professional "studies", I tend to be particularly skeptical of their real value. Studies quite often fail to acknowledge the good aspects of the fire department's organizational culture, and offer solutions that are 'boiler plate' or 'cookie cutter' in nature. When it comes to fire protection, one size does not fit all. I am only vaguely familiar with fire protection in the Wildwoods, however, it does seem to work. Why is government (or activists who wish they were government) so often want to save money by 'fixing' the fire service, when the fire service wasn't "broken" to begin with. Let's face it, folks, if you house was on fire, and your family in danger, they couldn't have enough firefighters or apparatus.
Statistically, there are fewer fires than there were twenty years ago. So, there is a statiscal justification for a reduction in fire suppression forces. However, ask any one of those persons who lost every thing in Conshohocken Pa a couple weeks ago if there were "too many' firefighters, and I don't think you'll find any who say so. We all want lower taxes. And we all know that in real life, there is waste and excesses in government spending. But, I like to sleep soundly at night, knowing that there are lots of career and volunteer firefighters out there proetecting my interests. Let's cut some of the 'ice cream 7 cake' jobs first.
Mon, 08/25/2008 - 1:56pm
It is clear that the mayors of both towns have a conflict of interest with the study so there should be no surprise that they are not acting on the recommendations that have been made. Fine. If they are going to ignore their conflicts and no one is going to call them out on it, I would like to hear their ideas for commeasurate savings that can be achieved elsewhere.
Sat, 08/23/2008 - 1:05pm
If you took the time to real the above article, you would know the study was paid with grant money in the amount of $83,500.
Sat, 08/23/2008 - 11:42am
At least Ms. McCullough is willing to sign her name and be heard. Attacking her does not change the fact that Wildwood's governing officials ignored this money saving recommendation, as well as others proposed by a state "audit" of the government as a whole in that same year. Instead, Ernie will try to be the hero by selling a city asset at a fire sale price to an insider. We will get a few pennies of tax savings this year, "someone" who already gets a free ride on the city bus will get a windfall and next year we will be in the same boat. Cut government now - I have three good ideas where to start.
Fri, 08/22/2008 - 5:59pm
How much did they pay the professionals to do this "study" , maybe 1.1 million dollars.
Wed, 08/20/2008 - 3:28pm
In all honesty of really tired of hearing what Kathleen McCullough has to say. She needs to just sit home and be a miserable person to herself.
Wed, 08/20/2008 - 12:29pm
Kathleen get your facts straight they would have closed the PINE AVENUE fire house not Holly Beach they have much fewer active members. Holly Beach has a karge active membmbership. And if you read outside of Cape May County you will note that consolodation of services in the majority of the cases INCREASES the cost of services.
The only way to lower taxes in Wildwood is simple reduce the cost of government within our city limits PERIOD. Through layoffs, attrition, hiring freeze whatever. But it must happen now.