Waterford–– The Board of Fire Commissioners said Tuesday that enhancing volunteer firefighting and solving the Jordan firehouse's structural problems are top priorities for the future.
In a joint meeting with the Board of Selectmen, four of the fire service's five commissioners highlighted the areas of a revised, long-range plan that they consider important. Waterford has a combined paid and volunteer force.
As they described those and other highlights of the plan, which is nearly complete, Robert Darrow, the fire commission's newest member, said the “strain” between firefighters and town officials has made communication and planning difficult.
“People are talking about closing fire stations,” Darrow said. “That doesn't make sense to the firefighters. The fire service needs not to get a hug and a kiss, but needs to get the respect they'd be getting if they were paid officials in the town.”
Last summer, the Board of Finance voted to name an ad hoc group that would consider hiring a consultant to do a comprehensive study of the fire service. That study would include a look at whether fire stations could or should be consolidated to save money.
The issue arose in July as finance board members criticized repeated funding requests from fire chiefs for major building repairs and studies that were never completed. In August, finance board member George Peteros said past studies had failed to address the “critical issues that keep coming in front of us, namely, how many fire stations do we need?”
Finance members asked the selectmen to support the study, but the selectmen have opted to give fire officials time to consolidate past studies into one plan before they act.
Since the fire service is manned mostly by volunteers, different firefighters have different levels of expertise when justifying major funding requests to finance officials, said Fire Commissioner Joe Martin. Working directly with finance staff should be an option, he said.
Fire commission Chairman Donald Chapman Sr. said a town ordinance that provides tax incentives for firefighters is a help but needs to be improved as the fire service seeks to retain and recruit volunteers.
“I saw the New London system go down the tubes” when that city switched to a paid department, Chapman said. “It still costs New London a bundle of money now to run a fire service that in my estimation here costs peanuts.”
Selectmen Peter Davis and Cheryl Larder emphasized that continued inclusion of alternative goals in the plan and efforts to reach out to town officials will help firefighters chart their own future.
“The more open and transparent the plan is, the more it's going to last,” Larder said.
The selectmen expect to make a decision April 26 on the finance board's proposal.
p.daddona@theday.com
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