Copyright 2006 MediaNews Group, Inc.
All Rights Reserved
By ASHLEY ADAMS
The Evening Sun (Hanover, Pennsylvania)
Hanover Fire Co. No. 1 will likely get the boot.
But Fire Commissioner James Roth said borough residents will see no change in ambulance services.
The borough Public Safety Committee voted unanimously Wednesday to recommend that the Hanover Borough Council give 180 days notice for Fire Co. No. 1 to cease operations. The proposal will go before the council at the Wednesday, May 10 meeting.
But the outcome appears certain because all council members were in attendance at the committee meeting and each said they are in favor of the decision to cease operations.
The fire commissioner cautioned that the decision is still up for a final vote and that the council cannot disband the fire company, and can only terminate its operating agreement with the fire company.
At the end of 180 days, the company will no longer provide services to the borough, he said.
But Roth said that will not affect citizens, who will have the same level of protection in fire and ambulance services.
“This committee has tried to work with the officers of Company No. 1 and haven’t been successful,” said Linda Stonesifer, committee chairwoman. “We have given them every opportunity to clarify their actions and positions and they have been unable to do so to our satisfaction.”
Problems within the Fire Co. No. 1 — the sole provider of ambulance service in the borough — were brought to light in March at a special meeting of the Borough Council. Key officers of the fire company were subpoenaed and spoke of issues such as altered paperwork, the misappropriation of $20,000 and the permanent removal of former fire company trustee Craig Chandler.
Chandler, who remains part of the company’s general membership, has denied allegations he transferred $10,000 of ambulance solicitation funds into a different fire company bank account and transferred another $10,000 into the same bank account a month later.
Stonesifer said the decision to terminate the borough’s contract with the company, which includes firefighters and EMT personnel, was based on various allegations of internal problems including violations of federal regulations, misappropriation funds and membership bylaw violations.
“These internal problems have been escalating for several years and now are affecting the service to the citizens of Hanover Borough,” Stonesifer said. “This committee has the responsibility of seeing to the safety and welfare of our citizens. We take this very seriously. We must make sure that when an emergency call is received, help is on the way. At this point, we can’t guarantee this.”
Officials voiced concerns in March that the borough would be left without ambulance service because Fire Co. No. 1 members weren’t signing up to man ambulance crews.
Roth said Wednesday that is no longer a concern and the borough is looking at other options to provide ambulance services.
One such option is starting a borough ambulance service. This was proposed by the Hanover Professional Firefighters Association.
The association proposed hiring seven cross-trained firefighters/EMTs that would be borough employees. New equipment would need to be bought because all Fire Co. No. 1 equipment — which includes two ambulances, their contents and at least one fire engine — is owned by the membership.
That additional career staff would augment the 15 firefighter/EMTs already employed by the borough, Roth said.
Roth said he did not have figures available this morning for how much the additional personnel could cost, but said projected income from ambulance calls would help defray costs of the additional staff.
Other options include mutual aid services from neighboring fire departments or contracting with an outside entity such as White Rose ambulance.
“At no time will the borough be without ambulance service,” Roth said. “Some way, or some how that service will continue.”