guest column by FF Richard GagnonAs you enter the fire station you step into a time capsule of sorts. The building itself is almost a hundred years old having been moved from its original site to the present location. Inside you will find historic reminders of the past, a small antique hand pumper, a plaque urging folks to donate S & H Green Stamps to help purchase a new fire truck, a 1953 Forestry fire truck lovingly maintained and still in use today. Upstairs is the original charter for a volunteer fire department signed in 1927. Indeed this is the home of the Rowley Volunteer Fire Protection Association, its 28 fire fighters and their trucks and equipment, dedicated to the safety and protection of the citizens of the Town of Rowley. But it is also the home of the Rowley Fire Department its three men and their equipment and they too are committed to the same purpose, the protection of the town and its people. Thirty-one firefighters, seven trucks, and all their equipment crammed into a six-bay century-old structure.
The town fire department came into existence because the changing demographics of the community was leaving the fire department with fewer volunteers present during the work day to respond to emergencies. Today the Rowley Fire Department (Town) is made up of three members, all town employees, and three fire trucks, all town owned. They respond from the station on Hammond Street and are on duty 5 days a week during the daylight hours.
The Rowley Fire Department (Association) is a non-profit organization made up of 28 firefighters, all call/volunteer,
four trucks, the building and all related equipment (all owned by the Association) and residing also at the station. The call/volunteers respond 24 hours a day-7 days a week.
Two organizations----one purpose, one priority.
The town pays the Association under negotiated contract for its services much like it pays for services provided by AMR (ambulance response). Take note however, that while AMR is a for-profit company, the Association is a non-profit. Much has been made of so-called “overfunding” of the Association especially with the town’s current fiscal crisis and the need to trim the budget. The reality is the Association has been level-funded for the past three years and as a non-profit can, if it so chooses, manage its finances without the oversight of town management. This however has not been the case and in good faith the Association has worked closely with the town selectmen and the finance committee to educate them on how the money paid to the Association is spent. Much has been made of a $64,000.00 surplus. This is false. It does not exist. At the end of each year the Association may or may not have expended all its funds. If we wind up in the red, we must assume the responsibility. If we have funds left over it is transferred into an account that allows us to close the books on the year. The Board of Selectmen and the Finance Committee have been educated on this process. Any ‘excess’ is then used for emergency purchases such as building renovations/repairs, equipment replacement, hose, equipment repair, and truck repair. If any vehicle suffers a major mechanical issue it is taken care of without going to the town for emergency funding-a costly and lengthy process, which would leave us without the protection supplied by that vehicle.
Much more can be said and as we approach the annual town meeting it is important for the citizens of Rowley to have a better understanding of how they are protected, what it is costing them, and how we are organized. In the coming weeks there will be more information distributed. But in the end we are two organizations----one purpose, one priority.
