By Patti Dobranski
Tribune-Review (Greensburg, PA)
Copyright 2006 Tribune Review Publishing Company
All Rights Reserved
After hearing bleak news about the future of the Trafford Fire Department and its ambulance service Tuesday night, council members vowed to do whatever it takes to keep the borough emergency services in town.
First, fire Chief Kevin Beam told council the mail fundraiser had brought in $19,700, or $2,000 less than last year’s.
“One-third of that money — $7,000 — will go to pay for our insurance. This is very disappointing to us,” Beam said. “The future of the fire company in the next five years is ... the department may be nonexistent. We need funds and manpower.”
The chief said 39 percent of borough residents donated to the fire department last year. This year, that number fell to 35 percent.
“That means 65 percent of the town does not give us money. I know everyone is begging for money, but the needs don’t change. We have 15 members now and at this time next year we’ll probably have less because a couple of guys are retiring,” he said.
Beam said the department tried creative fundraisers like a candle party and restaurant parties, but only members attended.
Tom Dobrinick, president of the fire department, said the downward spiral has been evolving. “It’s been like this for at least 10 years,” he said.
After Beam’s report, George Brown of Trafford Emergency Medical Service painted an even grimmer picture.
Because the service is classified as an advanced life-support facility, the state requires the ambulance building to have staffing 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
“We were told we are not running properly. We were given a provisional license for a year because the state changed the rules. We need more staff and members,” he said. “Financially, we can’t survive under these conditions.”
Like the fire department, the ambulance service has lost some donations in the past couple of years. “Somebody has got to help us or we won’t get another license next July. We need money and a lawyer,” he said.
Councilman Frank Bruno said the borough was committed to not losing its emergency services.
“We are not going to let that happen,” he said.
Council President Rita Windsor said one option may be to establish an emergency fee for all residents to ensure the services don’t fold.
Some members of council will sit down with the fire department and ambulance service Sept. 25 to hammer out a plan to raise the needed funds to continue the emergency services.
Council will present its findings at the October meeting.
In other business, council unanimously passed a motion allowing the police department to purchase a Taser gun for no more than $1,100. Mayor Kevin Karazsia said an August confrontation between a suspect and police escalated to a dangerous level, prompting his suggestion to keep his officers and suspects safer.
A Taser gun delivers an electrical shock that temporarily disables a person, possibly reducing the need to employ lethal force.
Karazsia said after the meeting that three officers were already certified in using a Taser and the rest would receive training.