BERLIN – A dwindling grant from the town and rising operating costs prompted a new emergency response fee, according to Berlin Fire Company officials.
In response to criticism from residents last week regarding an emergency response fee now in effect, the Berlin Fire Company (BFC) reached out to The Dispatch to share the reasoning behind the new charge.
“We’re not trying to hurt the taxpayers, we’re just billing for services,” said David Fitzgerald, BFC president.
According to Fitzgerald, the Berlin Fire Company has been billing for EMS services since they were initiated in 1965. Fire response billing, however, is something new that’s being tried throughout the country. Here in Berlin, Fitzgerald said it was something BFC membership started considering as a way to boost revenue. In most cases, he said auto and home insurance companies would cover the charge.
“The fire company has had to think of ways to generate revenue because from 2008-2012, the fire company was being funded at $342,000,” Fitzgerald said. “The current fiscal year, the operating funds coming from the town is $116,000. That’s a substantial difference. Most departments get extra each year.”
This chart, provided by the Berlin Fire Company, shows annual fire and EMS grants from the Town of Berlin. Submitted Image
Last week, Mayor Zack Tyndall said the town this year provided the BFC with a $400,000 grant, $125,000 for additional EMS staffing and $225,000 for capital. That’s in addition to funding from Worcester County and the state, which this year exceeded $1.3 million.
Fitzgerald said Tyndall misrepresented the town’s funding contribution. He said it was important for citizens to understand that while the main grant was $400,000, it was split between the fire company and EMS.
“These are two distinct, separate entities,” said Jay Bergey, BFC accountant. “The town insisted on that years ago.”
As a result, Fitzgerald says the funds cannot be used interchangeably between the two. So in the current fiscal year, the fire company received $116,961 from the town and EMS received $283,039. Fitzgerald said while the funding EMS has received in recent years has increased, the fire company funding has decreased. Last year, the fire company received $125,000 and EMS received $275,000.
Fitzgerald said the decreasing fire grant is what prompted the new fire rescue fee. Bergey said inflation also played a part.
“Costs are going up,” Bergey said. “With the funding going down and costs going up it’s a double whammy.”
Fitzgerald said the fire company tried to host fundraisers to raise money but hadn’t been successful.
“It’s hard for the volunteer manpower to do that and answer calls,” he said.
Bergey added that now fire trucks cost about $800,000.
“You can’t buy a fire truck selling chicken these days,” he said.
Both Bergey and Fitzgerald said that the volunteer fire service was saving the town a significant amount of money. Fitzgerald said a study in 2018 had indicated that it would take at least 30 employees to handle Berlin’s fire and EMS needs. Currently, there are 16 EMS employees who are supported by volunteers.
“The volunteer system saves $500,000-$600,000 that would have to be funded,” Bergey said.
He stressed that BFC members were committed to providing the service they have for decades.
“The people in the fire company are not going to let the town down, it’s just that we have to have the equipment to make it happen,” he said.
While the new fire fee isn’t expected to generate a large amount of revenue, Fitzgerald said every little bit would help. As far as concerns shared last week about the fee making people hesitant to call for help, Fitzgerald doesn’t expect that to happen.
“In the excitement of the moment they’re going to call 911,” he said. “They’re not going to be thinking about a bill.”
