Finance, Public Safety Committees to Debate Merits of Engine Co. 3 Change

When members of the Meriden City Council’s finance and public safety committees meet Tuesday, they will have tough decisions to make regarding Engine Co. 3 – and it could change the future of the Meriden Fire Department.

Support is growing against an effort to change operations at the Broad Street firehouse, known as Engine Co. 3 or by the nickname “the Uptown Express,” as a proposal aims to eliminate the engine and full response company, instead replacing it with just an ambulance or SUV for “medical calls only.”

City Manager Lawrence Kendzior late last month presented a budget proposal to the City Council that called for numerous position cuts throughout the city, reducing staffing or changing positions to save the city an estimated $761,000. Kendzior’s proposal also called for the continued support of funding for full operations at Engine Co. 3.

City Councilman Brian Daniels, however, drafted a resolution that would eliminate the engine, instead replacing it with an ambulance or SUV. This came after the council voted against a motion by Walter Shamock Jr. to eliminate the engine and not replace four retiring firefighters.

Shamock, the only council member to vote in favor of the motion, said the effort would save the city a total of $890,000 and would help reduce taxes for residents during tough economic times.

“If you think this year is tough, next year will be even tougher,” Shamock is quoted as saying in the Record-Journal.

But despite the motion, Engine Co. 3 and local residents have continued to work on a campaign to provide support for a fully funded engine company – and they have that support.

On the engine company’s Facebook page, many people express their concerns over the response times in an emergency if the firehouse is eliminated.

“All they care about is saving money, not lives,” Joy Lewin said. “This is beyond ridiculous. They don't listen to the people who live, work and pay taxes in this town. Someday they will need emergency services and when something bad happens to them, it'll be too late!”

The company itself also posted, requesting support from the public and saying that 66 percent of Meriden calls are medical and rescue, which involve everything from car accidents to technical rescues such as ice or water rescues, mountain or confined space responses and extrication.

With just an ambulance, the engine company’s Facebook page states, the department will not have the tools necessary as a first responder to many of these incidents and would not be able to assist with the 32 percent of calls related to fire responses.

“Only a fully equipped fire engine is able to carry the equipment needed to mitigate all of the emergencies included in this statistic,” the Facebook page states.

The finance committee meeting will not include a public comment portion, but the meeting itself is open to the public. The meeting will be held in the Council Chambers at City Hall, 142 E. Main St. in Meriden, starting at 5:30 p.m.

What are your thoughts? Is it time to reorganize the fire department? Should Engine Co. 3 remain fully in tact? Let us know in the comments section below or share your voice on our opinions board.

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