Officials seek to address problems plaguing three fire companies

By Lea Kahn, Staff Writer
   Aiming to avoid the fate of the volunteer Lawrence Township First Aid Squad which disbanded last year, township officials are seeking to resolve manpower and related issues that have plagued the three volunteer fire companies lately.
   Municipal Manager Richard Krawczun presented Township Council with a draft copy of a proposed strategic plan for the fire services at its Tuesday night meeting. The council accepted the document, but took no formal action.
   The strategic plan was prepared in conjunction with the fire chiefs and the presidents of the Slackwood, Lawrence Road and Lawrenceville volunteer fire companies, Mr. Krawczun told Township Council.
   ”The process started when we began to think about, in hindsight, what happened to the first aid squad,” Mr. Krawczun said. The Lawrence Township First Aid Squad dissolved because of the lack of volunteer emergency medical technicians.
   The three fire companies are facing many challenges as organizations, including the cost of operations and equipment, as well as reductions in the sources of revenue, he said. The fire companies receive some money from the township and raise the rest of the money on their own.
   The fire companies also must attract and retain volunteers, which is increasingly difficult, Mr. Krawczun said. Because of socioeconomic factors, many potential volunteers must hold down two jobs, he said. New volunteers also must complete a 120-hour training course, which serves as a deterrent for young people to become involved, he added.
   Lawrence Township has grown, and the type of calls and the number of calls has increased, he said. This places a strain on the 42 active volunteers, who are supplemented weekdays from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. by four paid firefighters spread among the three fire companies.
   ”We are at a juncture where the future of the fire services will look different,” Mr. Krawczun said. “We don’t know what it will look like. We started out with a 5-, 10- or 15-year horizon. We backed off and want to look at the immediate issues. We put together this draft that outlines the issues.”
   Mr. Krawczun said he wanted it to be clear that township officials are not looking at abandoning the volunteer firefighters and hiring career firefighters in their place. The ultimate goal is “about sustaining the useful life of the volunteer fire companies,” he said.
   ”I can’t be more clear about that,” Mr. Krawczun said. “We need to work in a collaborative effort (with the volunteers), and we need to do it soon. The way we envision it is, Township Council, the administration and the fire companies will look over the plan. They can respond to it.”
   The volunteer fire companies, which will receive copies of the plan this week, can agree with the strategic plan or suggest changes, Mr. Krawczun said, adding that he would like to be ready to put together an action plan in early 2009.
   Councilman Michael Powers said it is important to reassure the volunteers that the township government is committed to them, because “people get nervous any time there is a plan.”
   Councilman Bob Bostock said he agreed with Mr. Powers.
   ”I think this is an excellent path forward. I am glad we started this before we reached a critical point,” Mr. Bostock said, adding that he would find it hard to imagine a scenario in which some of the firehouses would be closed.
   Mr. Krawczun quickly reassured Township Council that closing any of the firehouses “is not in the realm of possibility.” How the township may use the firehouses could be different, but the fire stations will continue to exist, he said.
   Mayor Mark Holmes said he, too, could not envision shutting down any of the firehouses.
   ”I look at it (as), how we manage firefighter services (and ensure) the proper supports are in place,” Mayor Holmes said.