Fire Rescue News - Misunderstanding results in Folsom firefighters boosting ranks, support
Photo of Chief Larry Smith
FOLSOM - What happens if a small rural municipality runs out of people who want to fight fires?
That's the question Borough Council asked at the beginning of the summer, which angered some members of the community when it seemed like the government was trying to...Continue Reading
disband the fire company based on Mays Landing Road.
"This will affect every citizen in this great town of Folsom on many levels," read a statement distributed throughout the borough by the Folsom Volunteer Fire Company. "What will happen when you call 911? Who will come to help?"
Council members say they were trying to do just the opposite: Scared by dwindling membership and decaying equipment, they wanted to find a way to galvanize the nearly 64-year-old company without gouging the budget.
"The question was, ‘If at some point in the future the company can't adequately serve Folsom, what would happen?'" borough attorney Michael Fitzgerald said. "They said if the current trends continue, there's going to be a problem. The goal was to try and shake things up a little bit."
The company responds to about 75 calls per year in a rectangular, 8.27-square-mile borough of fewer than 2,000 people.
The borough pays $12,255 for fire services from a company that has only a dozen members, many of whom are fathers and sons. It has three trucks, and the first one on the scene is more than 20 years old.
But the misunderstanding of intentions between the fire company and the council led to an outpouring of public support.
When a crowd of angry residents and firefighters showed up to an Aug. 11 Borough Council meeting, the discussion led to an agreement that the council and public would work together to regenerate the company.
"This is just kind of like a reinvention of our fire company," said Kyle Smith, a lieutenant of the company and son of Chief Larry Smith. "There was a big lack of communication between members of council and the department."
A group of 10 residents signed up to form an auxiliary support group, which aims to raise funds and promote volunteerism through its meetings on the fourth Monday of each month, open houses and other events.
"I think it was an eye-opener for everyone," said Jessica Gaskill, Kyle Smith's girlfriend, who has taken the lead on forming the auxiliary, "especially because the fire company supports them, and we need your help to support the fire company."
On Oct. 2, the auxiliary will be handing out information and selling T-shirts at Folsom Community Day, and the organization has a Facebook page with more information titled "Folsom Volunteer Fire Company."
"A successful fire company is about more than answering a few calls a year," said Mayor Tom Ballistreri, who said he is happy to see the new energy and efforts of the department and the community.
Larry Smith said his company has always been there for the community when it needs them, but "there are certain jobs that don't require firemen to do."
Now, however, he, too, is happy with the company's direction, thanks to the help of the borough's residents.
"The town council is on the same wavelength," he said. "Now, we look like we're on a new path to get where we want together."
They have raised a few hundred dollars so far, and have been getting some interest in volunteering. Last week, they also got a desperately needed donation: a chainsaw, right before Hurricane Earl came to town.
Contact Lee Procida: 609-457-8707 LProcida@pressofac.com
Chief Larry Smith, of the Folsom Volunteer Fire Company, unwraps a new chainsaw that was donated to the company Tuesday. Members of the company took a question from Borough Council to be a threat to shutter their operation, but officials say they were just concerned that it did not have the volunteers and equipment it needed.
Photo by: Staff photo by Edward Lea
