VICTOR, N.Y. – Over a hundred residents and business owners came out to voice their opinions on Wednesday night on whether the Fishers Fire District should dissolve.
The department covers 26 square miles of Victor, including Eastview Mall. The Fishers Fire District Board of Commissioners announced plans to dissolve the district three months ago, citing concerns that the department is expected to become a financial burden for taxpayers in the long term.
While currently financially stable, the district’s tax levy has more than tripled in the past decade. However, many residents feel the benefit of having the Fishers Fire Department outweighs the cost.
“If we got a couple of years, don’t dissolve at the end of August, work on a way to fix the problem,” said Kate Hoyt, a resident.
Other residents echoed similar sentiments.
“Don’t dissolve the district. Let’s come up with another solution that keeps these fine people employed and us safe,” said one resident.
“They saved my life in December 2009, I I’ve had all these years because they came and saved my life,” shared another.
“Keep these talented men and women that have worked so hard in their positions and and bring them to the table. Sit down and work together at the table and bring some community voices,” suggested a third resident.
Concerns were raised about potential longer response times and spreading the Victor Fire Department too thin if they were to take over coverage of the Fishers Fire District.
“I think the response time is going to be the worst with these firemen became your friends. I was in the hospital still after my incident, and they’re calling me, checking up on me and seeing how he’s doing,” said Otto Harnischfeger, a resident.
Brandon Stat from Local 4907 expressed hope that the strong community support would change the minds of the Board of Fire Commissioners, who ultimately have the final decision on the matter.
The dissolution goal date is currently set for August 31, but the Board of Fire Commissioners has not made a final decision yet. If the dissolution does go through, the Town of Victor has requested the deadline be pushed back to the end of the year. News10NBC will continue to provide updates on the proposal.
In a statement from the Fishers Fire District Board of Commissioners, they say they are in a “strong financial position,” and the potential dissolution relates to future financial concerns.
Here’s the full statement:
Michael Koch, the assistant chief of the Fishers Fire District, said in a statement that he has been “fearing the devastating impact that will be imposed upon our community,” if they go through with the decision, calling the decision “nothing other than reckless.”
Read the full statement from Koch below:
“For the past several weeks, I have been fearing the devastating impact that will be imposed upon our
community if the fire commissioners take an action that will eliminate our current emergency response
services. Despite the concerns regarding the obvious vulnerability and associated life-threatening consequences that have been expressed countless times by operational staff, as well as District citizens and businesses, the fire commissioners appear to be prepared to demonstrate a gross error in judgement.”
“The vision, view and actions of the commissioners, sworn public officials, has been at best obscured, and
more accurately completely steered, by an agenda that is not in line with public safety interests, but
rather some other motivation or priority.“
“This decision is nothing other than reckless and is not about an allocation of resources, but rather a
grievance. When those privileged to serve and protect the community’s well-being abuse their authority and abdicate their responsibility, they should resign as they are no longer able to execute sensible judgment.“
“My perspective is an informed one. As a chief officer serving our community, I know that any one of the
more the 1,300 calls for service represent an important need; those needs are all treated with urgency.
While I am a member of the volunteer cadre myself, the ability to respond with anything less than what
we currently provide as a career combination department, carries the very real likelihood that responses
will be operationally delayed, tactically flawed, or technically inadequate.”
“While a volunteer’s responsibility to provide this critical community service reflects a sustained love for
their neighbors there is an unvarnished truth: in the absence of full-time career fire fighters in the
Fishers Fire District, we will not be safer, we will be compromised.”
“A vote in favor of dissolution of the Fishers Fire District shows lack of transparency and abandonment of
logic. If this is the planned action of the commissioners they should stand down, as they have walked
away from their post.”
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