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Post-Standard,
The (Syracuse, NY) September 25, 2003
DICK CLARKE CRIME & SAFETY WRITER Hard to blame Spafford
firefighters if they act a bit excited.
First of all, the fire department's building renovation project is
basically complete, Deputy Chief Rick Wise said. Wise was referring to the fact that the station's two garage doors
- with two trucks in each bay - used to empty directly onto Route 41,
creating some safety issues with passing traffic. Now, the four separate
bays and their four doors open onto Coldbrook Road on the north side of
the building.
And, Wise said, none of the firefighters is crossing in front of
the big doors to get into the building when responding to an alarm.
There will be two nice additions to those bays within a week or
two.
"We have a new pumper that we should have by the end of the month,"
Wise said.
The new vehicle will cost about $325,000, with the money coming
from the department's reserve account.
And the department's commissioners showed a frugal side when
deciding how to deal with an inadequate rescue truck.
"We chose to refurbish the rescue truck," Wise said. The cost is
about $80,000 while a new one probably would have cost closer to $400,000.
Wise said the raffle of a Harley Davidson motorcycle covered half
that cost with a low-interest loan from the state covering the rest.
"What they did," Wise said, "is take the box off our old rescue
vehicle and remount it on a new four-door chassis.
"The box seats four and we would sometimes have as many as seven
firefighters - which meant we had three standing, an unsafe situation."
The new truck cab seats five and with room for four in the back.
Safe riding will not be an issue, Wise said.
Wise said the changes for the department are quite dramatic.
"With the building remodeled and with basically two new pieces of
equipment," he said, "we'll be busy. That includes all the training that
goes with the vehicles."
Free gun locks available in Geddes, Skaneateles
Project ChildSafe has provided local police departments with gun
locks to give away to the public.
Geddes Police Chief Michael J. Walsh said his office will give away
up to three gun locks per person at the Geddes Town Hall on Woods Road.
"This adds an extra level of security" for the safe storage of
guns, Walsh said.
Skaneateles Police Chief Jack A. McNeil said he will give one gun
lock to any village resident who calls the police department at 685-3456
and requests one.
Residents can request an additional lock; if there are any left
after initial requests, a second could be given out, McNeil said.
Town of Skaneateles residents living outside the village can be put
on a waiting list in case any locks remain.
The gun locks come with safety kits to explain their use as well as
containing firearm safety information.
Homemade apple pies, craft sale at Fairmount
It's craft time Oct. 4 at the Fairmount Fire Department.
"The auxiliary has run this craft sale for the last eight years,"
Auxiliary President Jen Blair said. "We'll use the money as needed for
community services."
The sale runs from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the West Genesee Street
firehouse.
Blair said there is still space available for crafters. You can
call her at 487-1244.
One of the annual highlights of the event is the sale of homemade
apple pies.
Town of Onondaga approves firefighters
The town of Onondaga approved the appointment of several
firefighters.
Approved for Onondaga Hill was Christopher Matteson .
Approved for Taunton's fire department were Richard N. Elias,
Michael J. Doughty, Tom Reidy and Meaghan Goodnaugh.
And Bryan Doran was accepted for the Nedrow department. He is the
second junior firefighter to become a full-timer in Nedrow in the last two
months.
- Dick Clarke covers police, fire departments and public safety for
The Post-Standard in the western suburbs. To reach him, send e-mail to
dclarke@syracuse.com or call 470-2248. Copyright, 2003, The
Herald Company | ||