|
|
|
Blue Springs, MO —
Residents of the Edgewood housing development appeared for the first time in its history to ask the city of Blue Springs if it would intervene on its behalf to help solve a long-standing problem: fire coverage.
Tom Manz, a resident of the development since 2003, appeared before City Council and asked that the city encourage dialogue between the Central Jackson County Fire Protection District and the Prairie Township Fire District, the latter being the district that provides safety services to the development in south Blue Springs.
It wasn’t until last year when two significant fires struck homes in the subdivision, destroying one home and causing significant damage to another, that residents decided to do some research into the issue. For residents, calling Prairie Township means that the nearest station is six miles away, as opposed to CJC stations, two stations of which are under three miles away.
CJC now only responds to fires in the development after Prairie is on the scene and calls for mutual aid.
“The fire district boundaries that were formed in the ’50s are no longer relevant to provide the level of protection that residents of a modern, suburban community such as Blue Springs should expect to receive,” Manz read from a prepared statement.
As many as 600 homes are in the development. In one area, Prairie Township borders abut CJC.
Residents want an automatic mutual aid agreement between the two agencies, which would require that the closest available station responds to an emergency.
Jim Moran, another resident, read from a letter written in Fire Rescue magazine about the necessity of employing automatic aid, a system employed by most fire districts, including many areas in St. Louis.
Both Moran and Manz argued that residents of Edgewood pay public safety tax money which benefits CJC; they pay taxes to fund ambulance services contracted by CJC, and spend money in the city, which, through sales tax funds, pays for safety services and equipment, including the fire district.
Manz said Prairie has agreed to an automatic aid agreement, while CJC has twice denied the request because “required reciprocity cannot be received between CJC and Prairie.”
Moran said the issue seems to be about political boundaries and money, which is an antithesis to the mission of public safety services.
Council Member Ron Fowler applauded the group for their presentation, saying the issue has existed for some time.
“Back in the ’80s,” Fowler said, “the districts got along. Something went wrong along the way.”
Fowler added that when it takes a resident four to five calls to reach the responding agency, there is something wrong.
Mayor Carson Ross said he has been in dialogue with certain parties about the issue and that it is being discussed. As such, he said he would keep Edgewood residents updated on any decisions.
Residents of the Edgewood housing development appeared for the first time in its history to ask the city of Blue Springs if it would intervene on its behalf to help solve a long-standing problem: fire coverage.
Tom Manz, a resident of the development since 2003, appeared before City Council and asked that the city encourage dialogue between the Central Jackson County Fire Protection District and the Prairie Township Fire District, the latter being the district that provides safety services to the development in south Blue Springs.
It wasn’t until last year when two significant fires struck homes in the subdivision, destroying one home and causing significant damage to another, that residents decided to do some research into the issue. For residents, calling Prairie Township means that the nearest station is six miles away, as opposed to CJC stations, two stations of which are under three miles away.
CJC now only responds to fires in the development after Prairie is on the scene and calls for mutual aid.
“The fire district boundaries that were formed in the ’50s are no longer relevant to provide the level of protection that residents of a modern, suburban community such as Blue Springs should expect to receive,” Manz read from a prepared statement.
As many as 600 homes are in the development. In one area, Prairie Township borders abut CJC.
Residents want an automatic mutual aid agreement between the two agencies, which would require that the closest available station responds to an emergency.
Jim Moran, another resident, read from a letter written in Fire Rescue magazine about the necessity of employing automatic aid, a system employed by most fire districts, including many areas in St. Louis.
Both Moran and Manz argued that residents of Edgewood pay public safety tax money which benefits CJC; they pay taxes to fund ambulance services contracted by CJC, and spend money in the city, which, through sales tax funds, pays for safety services and equipment, including the fire district.
Manz said Prairie has agreed to an automatic aid agreement, while CJC has twice denied the request because “required reciprocity cannot be received between CJC and Prairie.”
Moran said the issue seems to be about political boundaries and money, which is an antithesis to the mission of public safety services.
Council Member Ron Fowler applauded the group for their presentation, saying the issue has existed for some time.
“Back in the ’80s,” Fowler said, “the districts got along. Something went wrong along the way.”
Fowler added that when it takes a resident four to five calls to reach the responding agency, there is something wrong.
Mayor Carson Ross said he has been in dialogue with certain parties about the issue and that it is being discussed. As such, he said he would keep Edgewood residents updated on any decisions.
