ELBRIDGE -- In a special Monday night meeting, the Elbridge Volunteer Fire Department said they wanted to extend an "olive branch" to village officials in an effort to save the 160-year-old department. Now the fate of the volunteer department may be up to village voters.
Last week, the village board issued a state of emergency and said the department was too slow because not enough volunteers were responding. It asked the nearby Jordan Volunteer Fire Department to respond to all calls.
Since the state of emergency was issued, Elbridge Mayor Henry Doerr says the department has been improving. Highlighting a recent emergency call where twelve volunteers responded, compared to the six that were typically answering calls. The department has more than 40 volunteer members.
After a near three-hour meeting behind closed doors Monday, Doerr says talks with the fire department were "very productive." The board has agreed to continue discussions with the department, and they will meet again on Monday March 7th. Fire officials were asked to compile some information to present to the village officials during that meeting. The board will then decide whether to put the question up for a vote, asking the public whether or not they want to abolish the fire department. The fire department also agreed not to take any legal action against the village for the time being.
Previously, there was a public hearing scheduled for Monday, March 14th. It's unclear whether that will still be held. The state of emergency remains in effect in Elbridge.
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Original story from February 22:
A local village board says its fire department is too slow, and is turning to another fire department for help.
In a town meeting held Monday, the Elbridge village Board of Trustees declared a "state of emergency", stating that the town's fire department could not respond to fires quick enough.
The board announced they no longer trust the fire department to respond to fires fast enough, so they voted to hand over the village's fire calls to the Jordan Fire Department.
Syracuse.com reports that the village is not abolishing the Elbridge Fire Department, they are only temporarily turning duties over to Jordan until the Elbridge dept. can be reorganized.
They also report that both Elbridge and Jordan fire departments will be called for emergencies at the same time. Previously, Elbridge was called into service before Jordan.
