[Flame]

Was at the deli this morning and noticed photo of a fire house on the front cover of todays newsrag and a multipage-page cover story(3/9/08). They're at it again. This time attacking our brothers to the east about million dollar firehouses.

[Rant Boss]

They're gonna do what they're gonna do. Stuff like that won't fly any longer without the media's scrutiny. Let the districts handle it, and as firefighters and EMTs, just continue responding to emergencies.

[Commander]

When we were building multimillion dollar firehouses newsrag complained that we never had any public meetings so the public wasn't in the loop and informed about projects. Now we have multiple public meetings and democratically discuss projects more with the public and newsrag is yet still complaining. This is a lose lose situation with newsag.

[STRAIGHTBORE]

As far as the Cutchogue Firehouse plans are concerned, it apparently IS the community that's in an uproar over the proposal.

[MasonDixon]

Some of these houses are monsters. They are not used as community centers as much as they used to but they still want to build these mansion/country clubs. I dont see why they cant scale back a bit and keep to the basics. JMO

[southernman]

i love the old school firehouses, the new ones look like museums or a friggin library

[BoxE11]

7.5 mill to build a new house during a recession. Who really feels these country clubs feel like firehouses? If the members don't want to come around, I don't think a mansion would change their minds. All FD's run off the same group of people, they will come no matter what.

[MasonDixon]

That was my point, unless they watched Field OF Dreams before calling the architect.

[FaceToTheFloor]

Fire Districts like these need to be exposed for what they are.
Budgets are insane.
Did you see the mock ups of what these places look like???
Agree with above posts. Look like museums and libraries.
Wake up and smell the dog shyte fellas.
Too many rogue check books flying around out there at the taxpayers expense.
The Commissioners in these districts don;t have their own money to spend so they spend yours and mine. They all want to leave a "mark" like a dog pissing out it's territorial confines.
Can't wait until the FD lawyers get smacked the same way the school district lawyers are right now. I can see ours now, stuttering like Mike Tyson in a spelling bee.

It is high time these inner circles get broken apart.

And....

"Flame", read your last sentence in your post again and really think about what you are saying is an "attack".


Budgets and LOSAP, the fundamental cause for the continuing degredation of the volunteer fire service on Long Island.

[BigSmoke]

well reguardless if the community wants it then so be it...... end of story

[FaceToTheFloor]

Tell me what community would "want" a monster like that???
Show me what the schools look like in these towns.
Think they look like that???
(I'll take that $100 bet with anyone, anytime.)
Or a tax increase of this proportion???

I'd rather you just come out and say you think you deserve a palacial estate to go hang out in on Sunday mornings then put it on the "community".
That spells Rhetorical C-O-P-O-U-T to me.

[Rant Boss]

I'll point out that my district is updating our firehouse for the first time in over 35 years, with very modest upgrades, and not raising taxes to do it.

Another huge problem with the fire service is the broad brush that many outside (and within) the fire service paint it with.

[298]

Seriously guys...Did you read the proposal for the Cutchogue firehouse? They want to borrow $7.98 million dollars to built an over 25,000 sq ft firehouse for a Dept that runs less than 400 calls a year. Whats next a private jet??

[FaceToTheFloor]

Originally Posted by 298

Seriously guys...Did you read the proposal for the Cutchogue firehouse? They want to borrow $7.98 million dollars to built an over 25,000 sq ft firehouse for a Dept that runs less than 400 calls a year. Whats next a private jet??

Don't laugh brother. I know of a MID NASSAU department that just bought 3 boats. NO BULLSHYTE.

[gareee]

We are our worst enemy again.

[backdrafff]

Sad shame people are losing their homes, can't afford gas, schools are over crowded, and these guys want build a 7 million dollar firehouse. If i lived there i'd be mad too.

[BigSmoke]

so what everyone is saying is if you where getting a new fire house you would all complain? as a tax payer id rather see it go into something visable and make the town look better then into the f***** school districts. taxes are going to go up any way....at least you get result for your dollar.... and if i red it correctly the towns people get to vote on those proposals

[DEK1682]

Normally, right or not, I take the side of fire departments, we are volunteers and if we get some perks for waking up at 3am so be it, but, whats right is right.... when I saw the cover of the paper the first thing I thought is.... why do we keep shooting ourselves in the foot....

[emsteach124]

Heating oil is upwards of $3.65 a gallon..my thermostat stays at 63 degrees. You're cold? Put a sweater on.

Gas is pushing $3.60 a gallon...can you say "Hybrid"?

My school taxes are pushing $6000 a year, and my daughter watches Season 2 of Grey's Anatomy in Science class. Must be rough being a school teacher these days, huh?

I pay Fire District Tax....and a Fire Prevention Tax (someone needs to explain that one to me)

Housing values are 15% lower then 12 months ago...mortgages at an all time high for forclosure.

And now these depts want to spend $7.5 million to 'renovate' a firehouse that they do 400 calls a year? Do these districts realize that as residents that they're paying for this out of their own pockets? And in most cases, out of the grandchildren's pockets?

Sounds like it's time to 'just say no'........