[Commander]

[e173nhp]

My question is what would happen to the rigs, buildings, members that belong to FPC. Would there members be absorbed by the existing companies in the department that they merge with or would they run as an additional engine company in that department. I am only bringing up FPC because they directly border my dept. I couldnt see NHP or FP adding a fourth engine co to protect one additional block. And I am sure the brothers and sisters in FPC would not want to give up there house and rigs and get split up into other companies in either FP or NHP. I think the system in place works pretty well. I don't think this subject should be approached until either the residents of FPC or FPCFD themselves decide that they don't have the manpower or funds to safely protect their area. I can't comment about any of the other smaller depts but I live a few blocks from FPC and they seem to have no problem getting their rig out. Just my opinion.

[SeagraveCherryPicka]

TNH Awarded Grant to Study Feasibility of Shared Services
Floral Park Centre Fire Co. Included in Proposal

North Hempstead Supervisor Jon Kaiman, Town Councilman Wayne Wink, and Village of Great Neck Plaza Mayor Jean Celender announced that the town has been awarded a $180,000 grant from the New York State (NYS) Department of State to study the feasibility of providing coordination and shared services between ambulance and emergency medical services in six of seven fire districts under the auspices of the town and by the two fire departments serving the Village of Great Neck Plaza (co-applicant with the TONH in the grant proposal).

"We're pleased to announce the awarding of this grant," Kaiman said. "The Town of North Hempstead is serious about addressing the issues and concerns that our communities have regarding the cost of government and the role of special districts. We pursued this grant so that we can acquire the knowledge and information necessary to make sure we protect our communities while fulfilling our fiduciary responsibilities to our constituents."

The six town fire districts in this proposal that provide these services are: Albertson Hook & Ladder; Carle Place Hook & Ladder; Floral Park Centre Fire Co. No. 1; Glenwood Hook & Ladder, Port Washington Fire Department, Inc.; and the Roslyn Fire Department, Inc. The Roslyn Fire Dept. contains two separate companies - the Rescue Hook & Ladder Co. and the Roslyn Highlands Hook & Ladder Co., each of which provide ambulance and emergency medical services. The two Great Neck Plaza fire/ambulance companies are Vigilant Hook & Ladder Co., Inc. and the Manhasset-Lakeville Fire Department.

The grant-winning proposal calls for the creation of a working group of stakeholders in ambulance and emergency medical services. This group, which will include representatives of the town, Nassau County, villages, fire districts and private hospitals, will issue a Request for Proposal (RFP) and a qualified consultant will be hired to perform the actual study. The consultant will first study the existing status of service delivery in the town, including the organizational structure of fire districts and other entities providing ambulance and emergency medical services; current funding streams for operating budgets; existing assets, quality of service delivery and geographic regions served.

The next aspect of the study would then look at various issues that would arise in a consolidation, including the structure(s) of any new entity providing these services; required managerial and personnel structures; necessary infrastructure; expected increased efficiencies; and budgetary impacts. The consultant will then perform a comprehensive financial and legal analysis.

If the feasibility study indicates that consolidation is both warranted and possible, the report will outline future steps needed to bring the consolidation to reality. The Town intends to utilize the lessons learned from any possible consolidation of services in pursuing the possibility of consolidating other types of services provided within the Town. The feasibility study will also be made available to other municipalities for study, and may serve as a model for consolidation elsewhere in New York State.

"There are over 100 municipal corporations providing services in the Town of North Hempstead," Councilman Wink added. "Many of them provide identical services to different geographic areas, and it may be in our residents' best interests to study ways of saving money and creating greater efficiencies. This feasibility study can serve as a model for similar ideas in the future."

"Local governments are struggling with rising costs, loss of revenue sharing and keeping tight fiscal controls on our budgets and spending," Mayor Celender stated. "Difficult times like these can be opportunities for local officials and our partner special districts, such as fire and ambulance departments, to work together to see where we can consolidate operations and work cooperatively to save money. Today's trends require that we have to find progressive solutions to our fiscal challenges."

[9101]

Looks Great on paper and probably would better everyones service. The problem is the history, no department wants to loose their identity and their history. The other major issue is Chiefs, where to draw the line, everyone wants to be the boss. As it is today, there would be too many Chiefs not enough indians. If this was to happen, Maryland would be a good model to follow. The counties run the service, the departments have their own identity and history, but there are no dept borders, the closest available unit gets the call. They also utilize 100% duty crews. If there is an available crew, they let dispatch know and they are activated in the system. If there is no crew they get bypassed and the alarm goes to the next closest eng/lad/esm ect.. Work very well for them.

[9101]

[quote=SeagraveCherryPicka;155840]TNH Awarded Grant to Study Feasibility of Shared Services


This TNH Grant was awarded to Mineola Ambulance Corp. after no Fire Dept in the Town wanted it. To date MVAC is interviewing to hire paid EMT's with the money.

[Flame]

I dont think merging all 3 floral park depts is such a good idea. Floral park, south floral park and floral park centre all have well established historys and traditions. They each have their own unique characteristics to them. How can you tell them to scrape how they are now and start over over from scratch. On paper it sounds good but to me it will never work out. They tried to do it some years back and it never took off. Theres a reason for that.

I do agree on trying to improve whats in place now. I think all 3 depts can work closer with one another. Theres already automatic mutral aid agreements that are worked out.

[BoxE11]

So you guys are saying.. Put OUR Safety and services to the public!, in the backseat to Uniform pride and history?

Get your head in the game, its about the people and their wellbeing.

[X120620]

Nobody can argue that smaller departments cant benefit from having a bus that gets out, an experienced engine company with a crew and the availability of a ladder...They have discussed this from time to time and there is only one way to do it that suites all...In using Floral park's situation, it would be that the absorbed companies would keep their identity but that they would run a single engine house and be part of a joint district. a call on the northside of floral park may see a ladder,rescue 2 fp engines and the fpc engine...my opinion of a good way is a card system for runs, that goes by location, but there are too many ego's around and it probably wouldnt work...if fpc gets a house fire, they would get their units, NHP 172 and 175 and FP 126 rescue. and if south Floral park, it would be their units, a fp engine and rescue truck and engine from elmont...sort of like the east/west sharing of levittwon and bethpage, which makes absolute sense and works smooth...no fights, no b.s.....just for levittown, an extra engine and maybe telesquirt...for bethpages calls, an additional engine and 2nd due truck...this all just makes common sense in moving into the future with less manpower as a result of the times...

[e173nhp]

I'm sorry I didnt see anyone saying that. My point was strictly about FPC. I havent heard of any of their residents complaining about there coverage nor have I heard of any FPCFD members complaining that they cant operate safely. Especially since they sit between 2 larger departments with good responce times that can have M/A on scene within minutes. Feel free to correct me if you have factual information to prove me wrong!

[Flame]

Rumer has it Roslyn rescue and Roslyn highlands are merging.

[Bruce]

Lakeviews two companies merged into one so where people are saying it wont work, thats not neccessarily true. time will tell as it always does and the methods in which they choose to go about something like this will also translate how the conversion may come about.

[MrBonzo]

Originally Posted by Bruce

Lakeviews two companies merged into one so where people are saying it wont work, thats not neccessarily true. time will tell as it always does and the methods in which they choose to go about something like this will also translate how the conversion may come about.

The merge in Lakeview was not quite the same thing as the merger proposed with the three Floral Park FD's. The two Lakeview Companies utilized the same Chiefs. The three Floral Park FD's have their own Chiefs. The proposed merge is closer to what happened out in Suffolk County when Shelter Island and Shelter Island Heights FD's merged years ago. They were two separate FD's--each with it's own Chiefs. That all had to be worked out in the merger.

[CFR14]

Originally Posted by BoxE11

So you guys are saying.. Put OUR Safety and services to the public!, in the backseat to Uniform pride and history?

Get your head in the game, its about the people and their wellbeing.

100 years of tradition never once interupted by a moment of common sense

[StayLow&Go]

[quote=Flame;155941]I dont think merging all 3 floral park depts is such a good idea. Floral park, south floral park and floral park centre all have well established historys and traditions. They each have their own unique characteristics to them. How can you tell them to scrape how they are now and start over over from scratch. On paper it sounds good but to me it will never work out. They tried to do it some years back and it never took off. Theres a reason for that.

has anyone ever the phrase " tradition is a 100 years standing in the way of progress", not talking about the Floral Pks. in particular it is time to start looking at ways to keep service levels high. It can be automatic mutual aids during the day on the initial alarm, hiring daytime personell or combining Departments. We all can give numerous examples of firehouses that are blocks from the border of another district and are the closest piece of equipment to a particular call and never respond. It is the fire service's little secret, because we all know the public has no idea the firehouse 3 blocks from there home is not there to save their house and family. Someone else pointed out the system in Prince George's county Maryland and how it works there. I agree it is time to start looking ahead and planning for the future of the Nassau County fire service, not Dept XYZ. Unfortunately the leadership here in nassau County is more worried about how it will effect themselves and not the public that we serve and serving the public is the reason we do this, I hope.

[9101]

[quote=StayLow&Go;156358]

Originally Posted by Flame

Unfortunately the leadership here in nassau County is more worried about how it will effect themselves and not the public that we serve and serving the public is the reason we do this, I hope.

It's not just the leadership in Nassau, its the leadership in individual departments right down to the membership both new and old! With all our individual personalities, perks, requirements, ect.... we sometimes loose focus on what we are all about, the community we serve and not ourselves! I guess that is why this generation is called the "me generation" ? Too many members crying about our problems, but if they would just take a step back and looked in the mirror, they would find out they are part of the problem and not the solution! Just read your department's Mission Statement, I bet you no where in there does it say "ME" or "membership".

[27indabeach]

The time has finally come in this day and age to abolish the invisible lines. This issue goes way farther then Floral Park Centre FC. They were an example used of a small district that was asked multiple times to become part of something larger, and chose not to. It's not that the men on this board know that the district lines are rediculous, it's the fact that the district commissioners wish not to give up their fifedoms. Pride, ego, and arrogance have ruled board rooms across this county, and not many have budged on accepting the fact that membership is declining rapidly and change is needed soon. It's gone so far, that a district in the 2nd battalion wouldn't have the neighboring department's fire ground frequencies put in their handi-talkies. Rediculous.

JMO
Stay Safe

[You Dont Know About That?]

Originally Posted by Flame