Lancaster Township fire company debate rages on Options

[Lancaster Online]

[busymomof3]

All of you who oppose this-picture this...Your house is on fire and your child is stuck inside. In a situation where seconds count, do you want a fire company who can go to a centralized location where all trucks and gear are at so they can load up and get on the road or do you want a fire company who has to decide which firehouse to go to and make a 6 point-time consuming turn to get out the driveway. The answer sounds easy to me. It doesn't sound like they want to take away the entire park, just utilize some space to better serve the community.
Good Luck Lancaster Township FC!

[FDR06-10]

Post your thoughts and comments about this article.

Seeing that the taxpayers of LT foot the bill for the fire service, wouldn't it be acceptable to use the eminent domain rule to take a property which isn't considered open space?

They could knock down a few buildings on Judy Lane to build? (IMG:http://talkback.lancasteronline.com/style_emoticons/default/rolleyes.gif)

Who's footing this bill for the build anyhow? Another tax increase for LT residents or is this being paid for by the "savings" from the police deal?

[ceejay]

All of you who oppose this-picture this...Your house is on fire and your child is stuck inside. In a situation where seconds count, do you want a fire company who can go to a centralized location where all trucks and gear are at so they can load up and get on the road or do you want a fire company who has to decide which firehouse to go to and make a 6 point-time consuming turn to get out the driveway. The answer sounds easy to me. It doesn't sound like they want to take away the entire park, just utilize some space to better serve the community.
Good Luck Lancaster Township FC!

Very simplistic viewpoint.

Most people are supporters of the FD. We just aren't the black and white thinkers that you obviously are. We want to know if there are other options before we compromise one of the very very few park areas in the Twp. And we did not get to hear what other properties were considered and why they were rejected because of the histrionics and grand-standing of one diva. And that is really too bad.

[Citizen314]

The fire department did a good job Monday night of explaining why they want a new fire station. They and the township manager didn't seem to realize that the issue is the park site. Little information was provided as to why the new station "needs" to be at this particular site.
The township would have bisected the park if the school board had let them use the Manor "christmas tree" site. In doing so they demonstrated their insensitivity to the park/community use/open space issue.
It's not fair to put the fire department in the middle of this. This is not a firehouse issue. It's a land use issue. And the township just doesn’t have open space. It all belongs to the school board.

There are other sites.

[Woody Woodward]

The fire department did a good job Monday night of explaining why they want a new fire station. They and the township manager didn't seem to realize that the issue is the park site. Little information was provided as to why the new station "needs" to be at this particular site.
The township would have bisected the park if the school board had let them use the Manor "christmas tree" site. In doing so they demonstrated their insensitivity to the park/community use/open space issue.
It's not fair to put the fire department in the middle of this. This is not a firehouse issue. It's a land use issue. And the township just doesn't have open space. It all belongs to the school board.

There are other sites.

Really?? Where?? Where would you suggest???

Here is what Deputy Chief Usdin had posted in another thread about this..

shed some light? OK.

1. The 2 existing fire stations are right in the middle of residential neighborhoods. we are planning to move to 1 central location right in the middle of the township. the people whom have been our neighbors for years are probably very happy to see us go.

2. Nobody likes to live next to a fire station or police station or airport or school or any other type of public building. society dictates that these facilities must be somewhere. because of the make-up of the township (long and narrow) it needs to be in the middle. There are only so many places to put it. The bulls-eye lands right on that location. We have been planning and searching for 10 years. Lancaster Township is highly developed and there are very few locations that match our needs.

3. Both existing stations are too small for current trucks. The north station ladder truck fits in with a few inches (yes, inches) to spare and the ladder truck will not even fit inside the south station. the next generation of fire apparatus(10-15 years in the future) will not fit in either station without modifications.

4. Both existing stations were originally built in the late 40' and 50's. They have been added on to and modified and now require considerable improvements to last another 50 or so years. Its not worth spending money on either place.

5. Talk of more truck traffic on Atkins and Spencer Avenue is not accurate. We use Atkins and Spencer now, regardless of where the stations are. When there is a call, we go up the streets, and when it is over, we return. neither of these streets have shrunk over the years. The main access to the station will be from Millersville Pike side.

6. We are planning to use less than 5% of the existing park. The latest design/land plan does not require any of the ball fields to be moved. We plan to fit very neatly behind Planet Fitness and the dentists office.

7. When we consolidated back in 1991, one of the original thoughts was duplication of services. Right now we have files, maintenance tools, spare gear, etc, at 2 separate locations. Once we are in 1 place, our operation will be much smoother.

The neighbors are doing the right thing to ask these questions. I understand their concerns and we will work with them to make sure this is a positive addition to the neighborhood.

Any other questions?

The fire department did a good job Monday night of explaining why they want a new fire station. They and the township manager didn't seem to realize that the issue is the park site. Little information was provided as to why the new station "needs" to be at this particular site.
The township would have bisected the park if the school board had let them use the Manor "christmas tree" site. In doing so they demonstrated their insensitivity to the park/community use/open space issue.
It's not fair to put the fire department in the middle of this. This is not a firehouse issue. It's a land use issue. And the township just doesn't have open space. It all belongs to the school board.

There are other sites.

Posted from Mike Pickard on same topic, different thread;

It's important to know the facts. The FD or Township is not taking the entire park as the woman from the California (not Atkins Ave) stated at least 4 times by making the blanket statement that "We don't want to lose our park". They are not losing the park as she likes to phrase it. There is a section of the park that the FD will consume NOT the entire park. Of the 25 - 30 acres that make up the park (I don't remember the exact acreage but I am well within the ballpark) the FD is proposing using 4 -5 acres. This is certainly not the entire park or even close. The township & FD had a public meeting where we could all come together and discuss this proposed plan in a calm & reasonable manner. Unfortunately there was grand standing that took place and as soon as someone spoke in support of the plan they were rudely interrupted including myself. It was uncalled for and unprofessional. Not one time when a person who prematurely opposes the plan was speaking were they interrupted. You let people speak when they are speaking and don't interrupt. It's called manners and courtesy. It would be nice to have a little less grand standing and more productive discussions regarding this proposed plan. I believe the FD's needs as well as park space and playing fields can be accomplished if people don't jump to conclusions and use level heads when looking at this proposed plan.

The groups organizers had plenty of time to walk all around the neighborhood several times sticking fliers in peoples doors urging them to come out and oppose the plan they hadn't even seen or heard the details on. It would have been nice if they could have taken some of that time and energy to reach out to the FD and learn first hand just what the FD was facing and talk to them about their challenges. The FD protects your property, your family and your children. Would it have been so hard to reach out to them the same way they unselfishly reach out to you when you need them?

Be fair. Take the time to listen, learn and have constructive debate. Drawing premature and fact less conclusions is unproductive for all involved.
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Pretty well sums it up...