Those who live in Scyamore Township

[fastone]

Sorry to say, but after June 28th, sounds like when you call 911 and need an ambulance or fire truck. You will hear sorry we are closed! Well ok, you will not hear that, but you will not hear the siren as quick as you once did. As for the cuts that were made last night to the fire dept, I can tell you, someone will either have a total loss to their home from a fire or worse, will die due to these cuts. You can not cut over half a fire dept full time guys and all the part timers and thing you can still do the same job, it will not happen! So for those who live in Scyamore Township, sorry that fire and ems services will take alot longer to recieve, hope you never need them.

[pegasus]

and look for insuranse rates to go up

[jktruckin06]

well i am watching the news on this right now and they showed the big firehouse #93. it looks like a mansion with overhead doors.

i wonder if the old one was still good?

i hate seeing people lose their job to mis-managed money. we pay all kinds of taxes everywhere we turn to make sure the damn roads are in shape, and there are firemen and police to protect and serve.

[fastone]

Im sure the fire houses dont help them either. Alot of departments built in the last 10 years and are still paying on them. As for insurance to go up, the ISO company would have to come and look at the department. They normally only do it every ten years. So I'm sure they just got their 10 yr look and now time to cut. Alot of places are doing that now!

[cstreu1026]

It seems a bit drastic but didn't they have some of the highest staffing leavels around?

[fastone]

Yes they have a high level of staffing then most. Now I don't know much about their protection area, but if they cover an area with alot of runs, then you need the extra staffing to handle multiple runs at once. I saw a chart that showing staffing, but didn't show run numbers. For instance in KY, compair Independence and Newport. They have almost the same staffing, around 11-13 guys per day. Independence has I would say at least 4 times the amount of square miles to cover. So one would think Newport should have less, but Newport makes about 2-3 times the amount of runs as Independence does. So that is you have to look at. With the levels STFD is going to be at per day, it appears, if they have two squad runs at the same time, they might have only one or two people left for a fire truck. I can tell you this, one or two people at a house fire will get nothing done, other than watching a building burn in front of them.

And like I said on facebook this morning. Firemen years ago only did firefighting, nothing else. Then came along EMS services, and the public needed someone to do it, so the firemen did it. Then more things came such as HAZMAT, techincial rescues, swift water among other things, no one would do, but the firemen said it needed to be done, so we did it. Yes we can call neighboring department for help for things. But is it right if you live in neighboring departments area, for my department to keep calling you fire department for help every week? Help here and there is ok, but STFD will probably be calling for neighboring help daily now. It's ugly no matter how you look at it. But at least the trustees could have given the voters the last say with trying a levy.

[Gearhead]

But at least the trustees could have given the voters the last say with trying a levy.

This ^^^^^
Nobody really wants to see their taxes increase, but I'd bet there would be a very good chance that it would pass in Sycamore township. Lots of high dollar homes in the STFD coverage area.
Plus, it would be a levy for your own safety and protection, which would sit better with the voters.

[cstreu1026]

Yes they have a high level of staffing then most. Now I don't know much about their protection area, but if they cover an area with alot of runs, then you need the extra staffing to handle multiple runs at once. I saw a chart that showing staffing, but didn't show run numbers. For instance in KY, compair Independence and Newport. They have almost the same staffing, around 11-13 guys per day. Independence has I would say at least 4 times the amount of square miles to cover. So one would think Newport should have less, but Newport makes about 2-3 times the amount of runs as Independence does. So that is you have to look at. With the levels STFD is going to be at per day, it appears, if they have two squad runs at the same time, they might have only one or two people left for a fire truck. I can tell you this, one or two people at a house fire will get nothing done, other than watching a building burn in front of them.

And like I said on facebook this morning. Firemen years ago only did firefighting, nothing else. Then came along EMS services, and the public needed someone to do it, so the firemen did it. Then more things came such as HAZMAT, techincial rescues, swift water among other things, no one would do, but the firemen said it needed to be done, so we did it. Yes we can call neighboring department for help for things. But is it right if you live in neighboring departments area, for my department to keep calling you fire department for help every week? Help here and there is ok, but STFD will probably be calling for neighboring help daily now. It's ugly no matter how you look at it. But at least the trustees could have given the voters the last say with trying a levy.

According to the township website they cover 6.7 square miles and having an idea of the area I doubt they see the level and type of "action" that Newport would see. I would say they were probably grossly overstaffed. However if I were a resident and tax payer in the township I would be just as worried about not only the cut in service but how the trustees let it get to that point.

[02mingryGT]

It seems according to this they are not losing service but it is being put up for private bid?? I would assume it is to get out from under the legacy costs. This appears to be the direct result of the vote to eliminate some of the ridiculous pensions and bargaining rights public employees have. The state and cities/townships cannot afford this any longer. So now instead of having jobs with lower benefits it looks like they will have none.

http://www.plunderbund.com/2012/03/22/sycamore-township-moves-closer-to-privatizing-fire-and-ems-services/

P.S. Or they can try to get on with the private company maybe. For less benefits of course.

[cstreu1026]

We are going the through a similar situation here in Xenia as the school board recently voted to outsouce transportation, maintenance, and IT services. They are estimating that it will save $5 million over the next 5 years. The question I have is why is it that anytime it is suggested that a service be privatized that the quality will suffer? Is there any proof to back up those allegations or is just fear mongering by the people loosing their jobs?

As a side note I didn't know there were private companies that provided fire fighting services.

[mustangjon]

Emt service is privatized not sure about and fire company

[89notch]

It seems according to this they are not losing service but it is being put up for private bid?? I would assume it is to get out from under the legacy costs. This appears to be the direct result of the vote to eliminate some of the ridiculous pensions and bargaining rights public employees have. The state and cities/townships cannot afford this any longer. So now instead of having jobs with lower benefits it looks like they will have none.

http://www.plunderbund.com/2012/03/22/sycamore-township-moves-closer-to-privatizing-fire-and-ems-services/

P.S. Or they can try to get on with the private company maybe. For less benefits of course.

They put it out for a private bid but it was more expensive so they declined the bids.

[Jake]

Emt service is privatized not sure about and fire company

this. not saying it doesn't exist, but it would get expensive very fast compared to EMS simply because the equipment cost's much more, while at the same time is used far less than EMS. it would be very hard to turn a profit as a privatized fire department.

[aperacer]

Making about 4500 details a year. With a night time population of 20,000 or so and a daytime population of 100,000 to 125,000 depending on the season. The township is seperated into 3 seperate land areas. Seperating the north and south districts by 7 miles. And 5 miles from the south district to the west district. With a demographic from government assisted housing to million dallor homes to hospital and nursing homes to retail and commercial manufacturing to chemical research. Along with three major highways. Sycamore is the fourth or fifth busiest department in Hamilton county excluding the City of Cincinnati. Even with the staffing levels higher than the surrounding departments those departments are frequently used as mutual aid for making details that could not be covered by Sycamore. I'll stop now because this really sucks trying to type on my phone.

[cstreu1026]

That sounds like a no win situation for all. Thats the thing I don't get about the whole township thing in Ohio. THey can be all split up like that still be together. Logistically wouldn't it make more sense to just absorb them in to the surrounding cities?

[aperacer]

Yes but under new, and I want to the pat 10-15 years, state laws referance anexation. It doesn't happen like it use to. Its much more difficult to do and when the city anexes that area it has to pay the original township its original tax base for multiple years after getting the property. It make anexation unatracive.

[cstreu1026]

I am convinced this state was designed to fail from the beginning. Maybe I'm just more aware now but I don't ever remember any of these issues with funding for schools or fire departments when we lived in Kentucky.

[02mingryGT]

They put it out for a private bid but it was more expensive so they declined the bids.


Really? Did they say more than they are paying now or less? Probably more than they wanted to pay period. I'm sure paying for someone else to do runs is way cheaper than either option(no overhead).

[MrsAPE]

Really? Did they say more than they are paying now or less? Probably more than they wanted to pay period. I'm sure paying for someone else to do runs is way cheaper than either option(no overhead).

But not always best for your residents. Private companies are for profit. They aren't in it for any other reason than profit.

[cstreu1026]

Ever here about the private company that runs the airport security for San Franciso's airport? They get great reviews from both travelers and catch far more than government employed TSA agents when tested. Its not safe to assume the quality will suffer just because they are a private. Its up the the folks that hire them to make sure they are doing what is expected of them.

[MrsAPE]

True Cam. But those that I were referring to I read the proposals on. It was going to cost more in the long run and not provide half of what their department does. It use to be run by private company years & years ago...but that wasn't good enough for them then. As with everything..there is more to it than what's on the news.

[02mingryGT]

True Cam. But those that I were referring to I read the proposals on. It was going to cost more in the long run and not provide half of what their department does. It use to be run by private company years & years ago...but that wasn't good enough for them then. As with everything..there is more to it than what's on the news.


I was talking about the township itself. It is probably cheaper for them but they are stuck. These cities/townships cannot continue to pay the legacy costs they are currently paying. Their only choice is to respond this way. Sucks for everybody involved but the voters in Ohio did not want to compromise and this is a direct result that, sadly you will probably see more of across the state.