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| U.S. Coast Guard boats stationed at Sandwich Marina |
I need to start this with my standard disclaimer that I am not questioning the performance of the Fire Department. I am questioning the inability of our local leaders to ask more "Big Picture" questions -- and then listen carefully to the answers.
My family and I have had many occasions to utilize the services of the Fire Dept. over the past decade and we have always been pleased and thankful for their rapid response and professional service. (I can still remember a night during our first winter here when a 911 call brought Police, Fire, EMS and a snow plow to our home in a high speed parade of revolving lights. I can also remember a morning when an SFD dispatcher "talked down" terrified parents waiting for an ambulance after one of the kids collapsed on the kitchen floor.)
My family and I have had many occasions to utilize the services of the Fire Dept. over the past decade and we have always been pleased and thankful for their rapid response and professional service. (I can still remember a night during our first winter here when a 911 call brought Police, Fire, EMS and a snow plow to our home in a high speed parade of revolving lights. I can also remember a morning when an SFD dispatcher "talked down" terrified parents waiting for an ambulance after one of the kids collapsed on the kitchen floor.)
I certainly recognize and appreciate the service provided by our local police and fire departments. I also appreciate the importance of response time and the fact that I live moments from Station 3.
I have never questioned the need for a new Public Safety Building. I have no arguments over the proposed location. I do have concerns over the originally-proposed $30 million cost. I also have concerns that the "public outreach" appeared to be far more of a marketing campaign than a "listening tour". I am annoyed that the Town meeting presentation seemed to assume voters were stupid -- Question: Do the Chief's have private bathrooms? Answer: The Building has the minimum number of bathrooms allowed by the Building Code. For God's sake -- just say "Yes" and move on! Who cares? Just answer the damn question!
I am also shocked/amused that the newest Selectman (who was also a member of the PSC Committee) could claim to be "surprised" by the public sentiment she heard at Town meeting.
But enough about the damn building.
In the Fall of 2011, it was announced that Sandwich had been given a Homeland Security grant to purchase a new 40' Fire/Rescue boat. The Feds would be kicking in almost $1 million for the boat and initial training and maintenance -- although the Town would be responsible for matching those initial maintenance and training funds and then picking up all future operating costs.
To date, there has been no public discussion as to how the Town will fund its share of training and maintenance, or the cost of ongoing staffing for the boat -- which would presumably be docked at the Sandwich Marina (where it would likely take space that could be used by a paying customer who may have been on the waiting list for years.).
There has also been no discussion of any actual public safety need for the boat. The U.S. Coast Guard, the Sandwich Harbormaster, and The Massachusetts Environmental Police, all have boats stationed at the Sandwich Marina. The Army Corps of Engineers will also soon be upgrading to four new high speed patrol boats operating in the canal. There are also usually 1-2 tugboats in the canal equipped with water cannons.
If we can't staff our existing stations, and are forced to frequently rely on surrounding towns for mutual aid, can we really afford to spend the time and money to properly train and equip firefighters to race across Town (From QMH and Cotuit?) to jump in a boat to follow the Coast Guard out to bring in the annual stupid kid on an inflatable raft, or the very occasional boat fire?
It seems other local governments are having similar concerns about the costly strings attached to "free" boats:
Council Uneasy About Purchase of New Fire Boat -- The purchase of a new fire boat with grant money left some councilors uneasy.
Fireboat costs cause Port to pause -- Commission agrees it would be an asset, but members fear operational costs
New fire boat coming to the rescue? Vancouver City Council will decide Monday whether to accept $2.6M grant for vessel
Mystic Fire Department Receives New Fireboat
Since I doubt anybody will be willing to step up and kill this boondoogle -- lets start a contest to name it!
Potential names:
Albatross One
The White Elephant
Deferred Maintenance One
The Overide
More Mutual Aid
The Gilded Lilly
Overboard
Oversight
Over-the-Hill
Striper Rescue One
SEE RELATED POST
New fire boat coming to the rescue? Vancouver City Council will decide Monday whether to accept $2.6M grant for vessel
Mystic Fire Department Receives New Fireboat
Since I doubt anybody will be willing to step up and kill this boondoogle -- lets start a contest to name it!
Potential names:
Albatross One
The White Elephant
Deferred Maintenance One
The Overide
More Mutual Aid
The Gilded Lilly
Overboard
Oversight
Over-the-Hill
Striper Rescue One
SEE RELATED POST
9 comments:
I think you should copy all the responses to the first post 2 years ago -- http://notthepta.blogspot.com/2011/10/what-am-i-missing.html
Homeland Security? I thought they were established to fight against foreign terrorists. So if this is the case, we should name this fantasy boat "16 Trillion" or "Federal Debt". We don't need it, don't want it. It will be yet another unmaintained burden on this town.
How about "Floating Farce" ?
Did the Selectmen even look at this grant before it was submitted? Have they ever given any indication how THEY plan to pay for it?
It looks like a few people didn't do their homework.
Ahh this is so funny we were just engaged in this conversation at our breakfast table and then I stumble upon this blog."Eating Crow" or "BOS Special" or how about simply stated "WTF" or "LOL" this town is so pathetically screwed.
How about, "thanks, Barnstable!" ---- since Barnstable will be forced to protect the Town while our guys chase the Coasties around the Bay!
This is like a bad joke.
Or ..... "Sorry Forestdale" --- because if SFD is out playing on the boat and Barnstable is taking care of their own taxpayers, Forestdale will be SOL!
Let's see now, around $2 million for that new 45ft coast guard boat and all the trimmings, 1 brand new 29ft coast guard boat replacing the safe boat, a 30ft environmental police boat, and now a brand new fire boat. Exactly what incidents will the fire boat be expected to respond to at taxpayers expense (aside from the obvious), and who nominated those of us that live in The People's Democratic Republic of Sandwich to fund this circus event (minus the homeland security grant) and provide a regional maritime fire protection asset? Let's try and imagine all the useful ways the F.D. will be able to inflate their O.T. account on this one!
The remarks by the new selectman are funny. It has been my observation from almost the beginning of the public discussion on this and certainly into the so called public outreach that the voice of the public safety committee was not about taking into serious consideration how people responded to the size and cost. Any push back was met with a defensive explanation or more spin on the data. There were no options. I heard over and over again from the speakers on behalf of the committee that it had to be this big.
Obviously no real effort was put into getting something passed, no real consideration for the money lost if it did not pass. it does seem to be a consistent pattern when it comes to taxpayer money being used to come up with the plan for a solution. And it is always so easy to blame the taxpayer when the committee fails.
The Truth Maker would ask if those planning to operate this boat will be required to have a marine captains license. If so, how many will need to have one and who gets to pay for that job?
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