COOPERATION FLAME-OUT

A proposal to create a single fire district for communities in the Bangor-Brewer area not only didn’t get a warm reception, disappointingly, it sparked no discussion.

Unlike school consolidation and collaboration, the state has no financial hold over local fire departments so it can’t use threats to withhold money to induce more cooperation. Instead, communities must take a hard look at their fire departments and decide if there is a better way to provide this necessary service.

A few years ago, Brewer Fire Chief Rick Bronson proposed that a single fire district be created for a dozen towns on both sides of the Penobscot River. One large department would maintain and operate all fire equipment and personnel. This approach has many benefits.

Of interest to most people, it should save money by reducing duplication. Currently, every small town in the area has at least one firetruck. Those trucks are expensive to buy, maintain and replace. Under the district model, there would likely be fewer trucks, which could free up money for more personnel. Having 10 firetrucks show up to a fire is not helpful if only one or two firefighters man each truck, which now happens.

This leads to a second advantage – the opportunity for specialization. Now, every fire department has to provide basic services. That leaves few resources for specialized teams, such as a hazardous materials crew.

Third, but the hardest to sell, is that a regional approach brings more honesty to the system. Now, towns, large and small, have mutual aid agreements. Rather than being mutual, however, they mostly mean that large towns help small ones, with large town taxpayers paying the bill.

For example, the Brewer Fire Department responded last month to a fire at the Penobscot Energy Recovery Co. in neighboring Orrington. Only one Orrington volunteer firefighter showed up – in his personal vehicle, according to Chief Bronson. Needing fire equipment, the Brewer department requested the help from Bucksport and Holden.

Brewer will soon begin building a new public safety building and neighboring Eddington is adding new space for its fire department. Another Brewer neighbor, Holden, also proposed a new fire station, although that request was rejected by voters earlier this month. Rather than three new or expanded buildings – each with its own trucks and personnel – this is an opportunity to look at how these communities can work together.

If these stations were under one command, better decisions could be made about where to locate personnel and equipment – tankers in outlying areas without hydrants, ladder trucks near tall structures, for example.

In the end, the communities would get better fire protection at a lower cost. This overdue conversation should start.