A member of the Waynesboro Volunteer Fire Department went to the Virginia Avenue fire station on February 1 and found the gas and electricity had been turned off.
It was symbolic of the larger division that developed between the Waynesboro Volunteer Fire Department and the Borough of Waynesboro amid talks to create a formal memorandum of understanding between the two entities.
Decision to use force:Police train at home scheduled for rehabilitation by Habitat for Humanity
The state recognizes the Waynesboro library:The Walking Librarian program received a Health Literacy award
The Borough representative said volunteers are a key component of fire protection, but times have changed, unwritten male agreements are no longer enough and it’s time to sit down and figure out how to move forward.
The memorandum of understanding includes facilities, apparatus, equipment, supplies and personnel. Talks began in September, the last negotiating session of the fall ended badly when the volunteers dropped out and, by Monday, February 27, the two sides were unable to agree on when to meet again.
Two letters from firefighters provided to members of the county council in December said they felt the region had neglected the volunteers who have been “the blood, sweat, and tears of this fire department for 143 years”.
Volunteers want their voices to be heard so “we can address this issue and can move forward positively to save lives and protect property.”
What are the logistics of the fire service in Waynesboro?
Waynesboro has a long history of volunteer fire services, with Mechanics Steam Fire Engine and Hose Co. located on Virginia Avenue and Always There Hook and Ladder Co. located on South Potomac Street. The two merged about 10 years ago to form Waynesboro Volunteer Fire Department Inc.
The borough is serviced by a mix of fire/EMT staff and volunteers. Chris Devers was hired as a full-time fire chief in August 2021 after the department operated for years with a volunteer, salaried chief.
The South Potomac Street fire station is owned by the borough, while Virginia Avenue is owned by volunteers.
The career staff are all located on South Potomac Street. Apparatus was stationed at both stations. Most of the apparatus are owned by fire-fighting companies because they are in a better position to obtain grants and low-interest loans, as well as to conduct fundraising.
Why did Waynesboro Volunteer Fire Co. think there is no trust with the boroughs?
The December 7 letter signed by the Board of Directors of Waynesboro Fire Volunteer Fire Department Inc., whose ranks have represented voluntary service over the years and includes former tribal chiefs, was a direct reaction to a December 3 email from Borough Manager Jason Stains indicating that due to officers the borough fire department was not stationed on Virginia Avenue, the borough would no longer pay utilities.
Officers said paying for utilities helps volunteers “in their daily operations at a time when funds (have) become more difficult to raise.” The letter also stated that the borough still had some smaller equipment on Virginia Avenue and indicated that WVFD had spent approximately $3.2 million on current equipment, including large vehicles such as pump engines, rescue machines and ladder trucks, as well as small equipment such as hoses. . , ladders and self-contained breathing apparatus used by volunteers and career staff.
“We are deeply baffled and deeply concerned by the way volunteers have been treated with such disrespect by the current first administration of the Waynesboro Fire Department,” the letter said.
It addresses stalled negotiations over memorandums of understanding, voluntary drivers being removed without notice, volunteer firefighter positions not being filled and a lack of communication between the fire administration and line officers.
“It seems every day that the borough does not want to help more than it has to, by cutting off as much financial and moral support as possible,” the letter continued. Volunteers “have made sacrifices putting out fires, performing rescues in terrible accidents, conducting fundraisers, paying for equipment replacement, equipment, training, and more activities with time to spare from their daily lives, all unpaid.”
In a December 21 follow-up letter, Terry Reiber, first vice president, expressed concern about the lack of leadership from the fire chief’s office for volunteers and indicated there was no program for recruiting, retaining and training volunteers.
“We don’t have anyone standing with us, in front of us leading the way or behind us to support us,” said the second letter. “There is no trust, no leadership for us. We need and want answers.”
Reiber and Mike Bock, president of WVFD, outlined their concerns in telephone interviews.
Reiber said there was never a need for a memorandum of understanding until changes in the borough’s government with a new firefighting administration, including a paid chief about a year and a half ago, and WWFD has been cold-blooded for the last nine years. 10 months.
The perception was that the borough was trying to build a paid fire department and relegate WVFD to fundraising groups, which “didn’t sit well with the volunteers,” Reiber said.
There has been talk of an MOU since about the summer of 2022, the Virginia Avenue utilities were discussed from the start and there was no written agreement on anything, but the utilities are still shutting down, Reiber said.
WVFD pays $1,200 to restart gas and electricity and pay utility bills, which run up to $5,000 to $6,000 a year.
Volunteers just raised $34,000 to repair a rescue machine and “$6,000 was slapped in our face… kind of hard to take,” Reiber said.
“We are very concerned about the attitude… contemptuous of volunteers… as if they don’t care,” Reiber repeated.
The initial meeting about the MOU was friendly, but the later one broke down and there were personality issues on both sides, according to Bock, who said he would not blame one or the other. At this point, he thinks fire protection is not suffering.
Asked about the long-term implications and possible consequences if the gap is not bridged, options could include a strike, transfer of apparatus, which are mostly owned by the WVFD, or discussion of becoming self-sufficient. There is absolutely no thought of dissolving WVFD.
“The board of directors is very interested and looks forward to reaching an agreement,” Reiber said, but later added that he was not sure the region was genuinely interested in an MOU.
Bock stressed the lack of respect for the volunteers from the regional administration and Reiber added he thought it was important “the public knows there is discontent.”
What’s the stance of the Borough of Waynesboro in talks with volunteer firefighters?
Noda, the area manager, and Devers, the fire chief, jointly replied to e-mails with questions about the issues raised by WVFD officers.
Asked what they thought were the sources of dissatisfaction, they replied, “Firefighters and response rates have changed significantly over the last few decades. It can sometimes be difficult to find the best way to deal with the changes and challenges an organization faces, but that doesn’t eliminate the need to address those changes.
“We understand that there may be differences of opinion between some long term volunteers and the Fire Chief, and ultimately, we want to work together to ensure that we can provide an effective fire service to the Borough of Waynesboro and the surrounding community.”
They also explained that the unwritten arrangement with WVFD was not unique and “The Borough has found that there are many organizations with which we have relationships and documentation for those relationships is non-existent. As stewards of public tax dollars, we feel the need to capture the obligation to spend tax dollars in writing, instead of relying on individual memories of how things have been done in the past.
“Having a written understanding provides certainty for both volunteers and taxpayers.”
Utilities at the Virginia Avenue fire station were only a small portion of the borough’s $1,168,551 fire budget, but during the budget process, the board decided not to pay for utilities in buildings that didn’t belong to the borough. WVFD was notified in writing on 3 December that the borough would not stop paying utilities on 1 January. December 22 letter extended to January 31.
The budget includes seven full-time paid firefighters/EMTs and 10 part-time and career staff, plus volunteers. According to Stains and Devers, as volunteering has declined — a local as well as a country-wide trend — the region has moved to ensure staff is available 24/7.
“The long-term plan is to continue the combined paid and voluntary firefighting model as long as there are active volunteers responding to the call,” according to Stains and Devers. “There are no plans for an all-career department, nor does the borough’s current budget accommodate such a structure. The Borough recognizes the need to take steps to work towards safe staffing according to National Fire Protection Association standards as volunteerism continues to decline.”
Both said the borough had no administrative control over the volunteers and could not mandate retention or recruiting initiatives, but had provided WWFD with information about possibilities for both. In addition, volunteers have the same opportunities for training as paid firefighters and have been invited to take part in training conducted by career staff.
The Borough also pays for fuel, workers’ compensation, minor repairs and maintenance of equipment and insurance for equipment owned by the Waynesboro Volunteer Fire Department, as well as $5,000 annually to assist volunteers in purchasing equipment.
Asked about how to bridge the gap and improve the relationship between the borough and WVFD, Stains and Devers write, “Relationships are successful when those in the relationship can be open and honest with each other and committed to addressing the challenges they face. There is no relationship without its share of ups and downs. It’s what you do in response to that challenge that determines if the relationship is successful.
“Is volunteerism at a historic low? Yes. Is the Borough facing budget challenges? Yes. Is the call-to-service increasing? Yes. Despite all that, do we need to think about the best way to provide services to the community? No questions asked.”
Shawn Hardy was a newspaper reporter for Gannett’s Franklin County in south-central Pennsylvania — Echo Pilot in Greencastle, The Record Herald in Waynesboro and Public Opinion in Chambersburg. He has over 35 years of journalism experience. Contact him at [email protected]
