Columbia council, mayor support regionalization of fire companies, police departments Options

[Lancaster Online]

[subvet68]

Regionalization is a great for cost and services, however it must be done with Geography and Municipal lines in mind.

Wrightsville is not in Lancaster county and does use the same 911 system, regardless of location, this doesn't make sense.

Columbia police should join forces with West Hempfield and whoever covers Washington Boro.

Fire department - Columbia has always had too many stations and not enough volunteers. Marietta and Columbia does not make sense due to Chickies Hill, a strong physical barrier to rapid response. Columbia, Mountville and Washington Boro make alot of sense. Marrietta, Bainbridge and Maytown makes sense if they can get out of the way of their own egos. Elizabethown, Rheems and Mt. Joy make sense.

Consolidation is good, it reduces duplication and increases the professional level of service the community receives.

Kudos to Columbia for taking the first step.

[WGM1171]

I agree with your analysis but I think you meant to say Wrightsville does not use the same 911 system...

[afsoc1981]

didn't columbia police look into merging with West Hempfield once before and that went nowhere?

is it me or has the MT/LT deal set off a firestorm of merger talks lately? Mountville/West Hempfield, Columbia and whoever....Do I hear a Lititz/Warwick out there? Maybe an Etown/Mt Joy/NW Regional? (IMG:http://talkback.lancasteronline.com/style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

[Morbid]

Marietta? Mountville? What do you gain by adding them into the discussion??

Columbia currently has a "self-sufficient" system of fire protection. Many departments currently find it standard practice to have 3 Engines, 2 Ladder Trucks and 1 Rescue on an initial alarm of a fire. Columbia Borough has within its limits, 3 Engines, 2 Ladder Trucks and 1 Rescue. One overarching body to govern the three organizations is needed, yes. But if you are talking about shutting down fire stations and liquidating apparatus, go climb a tree and hope the lawyers don't find you. If you think for one minute that a fire comes in two houses down from the fire station you just shut down and someone dies that you won't be sued? There's a probable chance that because the personnel and equipment are so close there is a very good chance that 1, the fire could be contained faster, 2 th rescue attempts could have begun sooner and 3 that less property damage would be sustained. If you shut down a fire station that is 1 mile away from another, there is a pretty good chance that you didn't do anything but hurt the situation. You may have just cut your expenses a little, but was you really lose are the volunteers. Volunteers don't come back once they're gone. Proven FACT! There are many people in this county that are alive today solely because of the fact that the volunteer fire station was only blocks away and if they would have had to wait for help from farther away, they would be dead. End of discussion.