Protecting our community from fire and other safety emergencies is an essential municipal responsibility. As a volunteer with the Cundy’s Harbor Volunteer Fire Department, I can personally attest to the growing challenges we face. Our department is critically understaffed with volunteer firefighters and there are no new Harpswell recruits enrolled in this year’s fire academy. I anticipate that the town will increasingly need to rely on municipal firefighters as the number of volunteers continues to decline.
Most of our volunteers are retired, and many younger individuals are unable to commit due to the demands of work and family, and the extensive training time required. Firefighting is a physical, demanding and hazardous profession, and the typical age range of our firefighter volunteers is between 60 and 75 years. Volunteers under this age range are the exception.
Given these circumstances, we cannot afford to delay or defer this decision by calling for more studies. The need for action is urgent, and we must move forward to ensure the safety of our community. Let’s not “kick the can down the road.”
The central fire station is a sensible solution that will enable the town to provide effective fire protection and emergency services for all. Our three existing stations will continue to operate, supported by our dedicated volunteers, our generous donors and the town. However, the reality is that these three existing stations cannot meet the future needs of our community by themselves, and without increased volunteer support, they will eventually fail, sooner than later. We must have a central fire station to continue to meet our community’s fire and rescue needs.
Kristie Jorgensen, Cundy’s Harbor
