| Your protection was never in jeopardy.
(What the disgruntled few told you on Dec. 31 was a lie)
Contrary to rumors you may have heard the:
- Township Fire Department
remains on duty and is serving you today.
- County-wide mutual aid
agreement among LaPorte County’s
18 departments has ~ been canceled and surrounding fire departments
(Coolspring, Kankakee, Scipio and Springfield) are responding
when called by Center Township Fire Department.
- Township Fire
Department has responded to all dispatched alarms to date.
- Fire
department membership was aware of the vote on December 21
and had sufficient time to consult with their attorney and
arrange for legal representation at that meeting.
- Township Fire
department has 17 active members, of those, 12 are experienced
firefighters and fire instructors, as well
as former chiefs, assistant chiefs, captains, and first responders
from Center and surrounding fire departments. Four members
are undergoing state-approved 24 hour mandatory firefighting
training.
- ISO
Ratings are issued to the governmental body responsible for
providing fire protection not to a fire department. Center
Township’s rating remains 6 within 5 miles of the station.
- Chief
Officer remains a volunteer and unpaid position.
- City of La Porte
is not taking over Township fire protection.
- Fire department membership
voted to sell Snorkel #8, and Trustee approved this sale
to accommodate a larger, heavy-duty rescue
truck.
- The 1st Responder Program is not over. The Fire Department
is a state-certified first responder, and is working toward
re-certification for 2-members, whose credentials lapsed under
the prior fire
leadership.
- Interim Chief Officer, Jim Wellnitz, co-developed
and implemented LaPorte County’s 1st Responder Program
in 1978, is a member of the EMS board, and is also responsible
for establishing the
first LaPorte County Mutual Aid Agreement in La Porte County.
- La
Porte County’s EMS will continue to respond to medical
calls as always.
The leadership of the former department found the accountability
that you as taxpayers deserve difficult to accept. The contract
proposed by the Township was not voted upon as this leadership
refused to call a vote.
Historical experiences with some members of the department leading
to the decision not to renew the contract include:
- Selectively
accepted applications for volunteer firefighters discriminating
against others;
- Favoritism, as certain firefighters were provided
the best, and newest equipment, passing over those more in
need;
- Abuse
of charge accounts provided by the Township including refusal
to consistently implement purchase order procedures;
- Refusal by
the department leadership to respond to phone calls and written
requests by the Township office;
- Neglected to file important federal
and state documents including federal radio license and training
reports as recognized by the
State Fire Marshall;
- Demanded monetary compensation for duties,
which in the past were performed at no cost by this organization
in contradiction
to the definition of a volunteer organization;
- Verbal abuse of
the Trustee and staff including threats of physical violence:
and
- Denied access to the Township computer located at the fire
station. Interfering with the duties and responsibilities
of the Trustee.
Presented with the past record of uncooperativeness, it was
determined by the Township office that an extension to the outdated
contract would accomplish nothing and only hinder further advancement
of your fire department. Therefore, this office elected to stop
pouring wasteful hours and tax dollars into this situation, and
moved to secure fire protection services from those who have
chosen to continue to serve our township and volunteer their
services.
We now have a fire department made up of the best of the old
department, and new members long absent, but active in the past
with total experience of over 125 years. The numbers are growing
and within days should exceed last year’s roster. You know
these men and women --they are your neighbors, friends, co-workers
and relatives. They have chosen to put their life on the line
for you, while the disgruntled few who are most vocal today,
continue to fuel the fires of disinformation and interfere with
those who have chosen to serve the department.
I am proud of those firefighters who have come forward to continue
serving their fellow residents as volunteers, and I condemn those
who have made these changes necessary by their past actions,
and continue to build fear in our community by their false statements.
This fire department is open to everyone in the community, as
it was years ago, with the same spirit of volunteerism that the
founding members possessed. Many skills are needed to run a fire
department. If you can fix a truck, run a computer or help maintain
the station, you are welcome at the Center Township Fire Department.
The Township has extended an invitation to all former department
members to put aside their hostile agenda and join with us for
the good of all 2,200 residents, not just the 9 former members.
Stop in our office or the fire station and learn more about
your reorganized fire department.
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