What is more important to all of us than the safety and care of our families and homes? Responses to health, fire and other emergencies should be available to all Harpswell residents as rapidly and as equitably as possible.
In 2017, the town voted to develop a central station plan, with a commitment from all three fire departments to support it. The current plan is supported by the Harpswell fire chiefs, the town fire administrator, the Harpswell Select Board, the Harpswell Budget Advisory Committee, and the Harpswell Fire and Rescue Planning Committee. The chair of the Cundy’s Harbor Volunteer Fire Department board said it is the only way forward.
An outside consultant sought for “expert and independent analysis” said because Harpswell’s situation is unique, he would rely on the firsthand, real-world experience that Harpswell’s fire personnel have gained over the 100 years of their combined service, and that would be the basis of any recommendation. The notion that the current central station plan is somehow biased, dismissive, unsupported by careful, detailed, fact-based analysis, or hasn’t identified “the real problem,” is simply incorrect. Consider the facts.
The proposed central station plan will offer reduced average emergency response times to all Harpswell residents. All three current stations would remain in service with their existing equipment. Only Engine 9, which is owned by the town, will move to the central station. Volunteer firefighters and emergency medical services volunteers will continue to respond from their home stations, as they do now. The central station will be the base for regular and per diem firefighting staff.
The central station plan is a real plan, a real solution, to the real problems of providing fire and other emergency services to our families and our homes. It is the least expensive way to provide townwide protection.
Michael DeLorenzo, Harpswell Neck
