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Fire departments talk of problems and successes
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February 03, 2010 | 11:08 AM
The Civic Association of the Setaukets and Stony Brook had another full house this past Monday for its meeting on fire department issues in Three Village.
Civic President Kara Hahn began by congratulating the volunteers for their "well deserved designation" as the Village Times Herald Men and Women of the Decade. "Our community is thankful everyday for the services they provide to our residents," said Hahn. "I know first hand with a father who is a 40-plus year member of the Stony Brook Fire Department of the sacrifices members and their families make for the protection and care of our community."
Discussion on recruitment and retention of firefighters in the two departments led Stony Brook Chief Peter Leonard to explain the Explorers and Juniors program at SBFD. The program for 17-year-olds generated three new members recently and the Explorers program has netted half a dozen new members. Setauket Chief Brendan Brown spoke of efforts his department is making to recruit new members using its website, mailings and other efforts that have yielded a recent class of 14. However, Brown added it is hard to retain new members once trained.
Brown said Setauket has 140 active members but EMT numbers are of concern, dropping to 20 from 40 to 60 in the past. Stony Brook has around 90 members, up from 72 a few years ago but down from highs of 150 a decade ago, according to SBFD Chief Leonard.
Hahn asked if the university was a source for volunteers. Both departments indicated they hoped to find a way in the future to increase members from the university student and faculty, but noted it is important to recruit them early because the departments cannot invest in training just to have volunteers graduate a year or two later and leave.
Former SFD Chief Kevin Yost said in 2008 Setauket responded to 459 alarms at the university; in 2009 the number rose to 653 calls to the campus — most false alarms. Yost suggested SUNY needs to recognize that if the campus is to be its own mini-city it should take responsibility for emergency calls.
Legislator Vivian Viloria-Fisher (D-East Setauket) pointed out the incentive of Suffolk County Community College tuition reimbursement for volunteer fire fighters, Leonard said the SBFD currently has two members receiving SCCC scholarships and Brown said in the past SFD has had a couple. SFD's Bill Shaub, a professor at SCCC, said at least 5 or 6 of his students were taking advantage of the tuition reimbursement.
SFD member Robert Bell commented how in the past the Three Village school district had an EMT training program from which the two departments drew volunteers. School budget cuts resulted in the elimination of the program years ago.
Civic board member Bob deZafra asked if the switch to paid emergency responders for the first ambulance out in Setauket had affected morale among volunteers. Commissioner Bill Pollina said last year Setauket had 343 multiple EMS alarms at the same time. The paid responders were meant to supplement the volunteers so local residents can know there is someone always available to answer emergency calls, Pollina said.
SB Commissioner Degen said there is little comparison between the Setauket and Stony Brook districts. Setauket is 28 square miles with 10,000 residences, 700 commercial businesses and 3,500 alarms a year. Stony Brook is 6.5 square miles with 1,000 alarms a year.
Hahn raised the issue of shared services and possible consolidation. SBFD's Leonard said the two departments are in many ways sharing services already. Special calls such as marine emergency share automatic mutual aid between the departments. Hahn asked if there was a way to share equipment needs such as heavy rescue or ladder trucks to save dollars for local taxpayers. Chief Brendan related how antiquated buildings required custom designed trucks so sharing would be difficult.
Degen said the Stony Brook Fire District has 48 percent of its property off the tax rolls. A large portion of the tax exempt land is Stony Brook University but it also includes the Stony Brook School, the International Baptist Church campus, Ward Melville Heritage Organization historic structures and more.
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