Fire officials: "closure of station didn't jeopardize public"

[Bnechis 3,961]

http://www.poughkeepsiejournal.com/article/20140108/NEWS01/301080020/new-hamburg-fire-district

"WAPPINGERS FALLS — The New Hamburg Fire District stopped operations at one of its two stations in December without notifying the public because the move will have no effect on safety, officials said."

"Even Station Two’s firefighters were not notified of the decision to cease operations until after their keys stopped working, said Peter Valdez, a New Hamburg volunteer."

"The consolidation in the Town of Poughkeepsie-based district came about because of a lack of volunteers at Station Two and a “projected savings to taxpayers” due to a decrease in utility payments, Renihan said."

"The ongoing lack of response from Station Two is one reason why there’s no public safety threat with its cease of operations, Renihan said."

“If you have no one responding anyway ... it’s not like we’re harming anyone.”

[Remember585 815]

Well... that's interesting.

[floorabove 13]

How about hiring to staff the station?

You may not get what you pay for, but you'll never get what you don't pay for.

[newsbuff 286]

Consolidating.....Saving Money....

No way. Someone pinch me.

And floorabove, the call volume may not dictate the utter necessity to hire, but two houses in a 5 sq. mi. district, and no response from the volunteer's at this station, good call by the Commissioners. Save some money.

Edited January 9, 2014 by newsbuff

[TRUCK6018 50]

Consolidating maybe, but there seems to be something deeper going on.

Per the article there are no plans to sell the property and they are going to store equipment there to be used "in an emergency". As of a few hours ago when I drove by there is still apparatus there.

Then what ever members were still there to get completely locked out with out warning seems underhanded.

Maybe if they are truly interested in consolidating, they should talk to a neighboring department that is closer to New Hamburg's station 1 than station 2 is and write up some sort of mutual aid agreement to share ladder trucks, boats and ATV's.

[gamewell45 258]

How about hiring to staff the station?

You may not get what you pay for, but you'll never get what you don't pay for.

The taxpayers have locked their wallets in a vault. They are not going to spend anymore money then absolutely necessary.

[Dinosaur 844]

The taxpayers have locked their wallets in a vault. They are not going to spend anymore money then absolutely necessary.

Where's that? From where I sit everyone is still paying more and more every year but getting less and less.

[gamewell45 258]

Where's that? From where I sit everyone is still paying more and more every year but getting less and less.

Granted, but they sqawk every time taxes go up. Politicians are feeling the heat over rising taxes more and more every year.

[Dinosaur 844]

Granted, but they sqawk every time taxes go up. Politicians are feeling the heat over rising taxes more and more every year.

Squawking, maybe. But they reelect these incompetent morons every time too!