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PLYMOUTH — Part-time firefighter Josh Evans recently arrived at Goodwill Hose Company No. 2 late in the afternoon for his scheduled shift.

Evans said he would be available at a moment’s notice to leave the fire house should a blaze break out within the borough.

Evans said at $10 an hour, he wasn’t working as a firefighter for the money, but as a service to the community.

Currently one paid firefighter, either full or part time, is available around the clock at one of the borough’s three fire companies.

However, two proposed 2018 budgets expected to be presented at Sunday’s council meeting reflect a significant reduction in fire department staffing. The spending plans retain only one full-time fire driver, and let go another full-time driver plus 11 part-time firefighters.

But in a recent change, the budgets do not call for the closure of Goodwill Hose Co. and proposed tax hikes have been whittled.

Evans believes reducing the department to one full-time driver, with other coverage provided by volunteers, would increase response times and put borough residents at risk.

Borough councilman Bill Dixon said elimination of fire department jobs is necessary to free up funds to provide increased police protection.

Dixon believes with an area of about 1.1 square miles, the fire department may eventually operate from one central fire house.

Such cuts, Dixon said, are difficult, but fiscally necessary.

Budget changes

Dixon says council has revised the two proposed budgets it presented to the public last month.

Proposed tax increases have been reduced, with the first proposal now reflecting a 7.5 percent increase and the second a 17 percent hike, according to Dixon.

He said a decrease in real estate taxes collected in the last several years has necessitated these measures to ensure the borough remains on sound financial footing.

Evans said although he appreciates the need for increased income, the reduction in paid firefighters is not a reasonable way to make that happen. ​

Twelve firefighters would lose their jobs, Evans said, but the borough would lose a lot more.

“With paid drivers on shift, a fire driver is always ready to go out the door,” he said. “If we relied on volunteers for hours outside weekday day shifts, it would slow response time.”

Evans provided several scenarios which he said made clear the need for a full complement of paid staff.

“We’ll say that it’s 3 a.m. and we get a call for a structure fire in a snowstorm,” he said. “The volunteer needs to clean off his car and maybe drive in a foot of snow. A paid driver is ready to go, awake and with chains on the fire truck.”

Evans took issue with comparing Plymouth to other municipalities along the river that run their fire departments solely with volunteers.

“Those are rural communities,” he said. “Plymouth has a lot of traffic. We’re a more populated area.”

“Right now, the three fire houses operate on a schedule which everyone knows,” he added. “Without a paid firefighter on shift, volunteers may not know what hose company is responding. A rotation wouldn’t work because we want to get the fire truck closest to the fire there.”

Dixon credited council president Gary Kochinski with working to draft the two budgets that would adequately fund the borough, with continued quality services.

“As members of council, we have to make hard decisions,” he said. “We have to make some cuts.” ​

Dixon
https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/web1_ply3_faaCMYK-1.jpg.optimal.jpgDixon

By Geri Gibbons

For Times Leader