Fire Protection Taskforce Moving Forward in Coventry

COVENTRY RI, APR.10 – The Coventry Citizens Taskforce for Fire Protection (CCT) met for a second time Wednesday night, and continued its efforts to identify a long-term solution for fire protection and safety services.

Led by co-chairs Fred Gralinski and Sean Carey, the group of 40 Coventry residents is volunteering time to define fire protection alternatives in the wake of the failure of the Central Coventry Fire District (CCFD).

The meeting was attended by State Representatives Patricia Morgan, Lisa Tomasso and Scott Guthrie, State Senator Lou Raptakis, and Town Councilwoman Karen Carlson.

Thomas Carroll, of Paramedic Systems in Bristol, a private emergency services company, told the group that as one alternative, providing private multiple vehicles and crews for emergency services might be done for as little as zero cost to the community, depending on the level of services and third-party reimbursement.

“I know this sounds too good to be true, but we are doing exactly this in Springfield and New Bedford MA, and it might – I say might – be possible in Coventry,” he said. Carroll was unable to be more precise because he had not had an opportunity to cost out various options.

Another estimate for emergency services from another provider came in at $200,000 for a six-month period, assuming two ambulances based in Coventry, tied to the Coventry 911 system, and staffed 24/7.

“We looked at these immediate alternatives just to reassure ourselves that significant cost savings could be made,” said Gralinski, “but there has been no decision or really enough research into a privatization option for us to make a decision. But it seems clear there are some cost-efficient alternatives to what we are doing now.”

During the meeting, six working groups were organized to investigation a range of options: establish a municipal fire department; carve up the CCFD and merge various regions with other fire districts; privatize fire and emergency services; a partial privatization model; and merger of the entire CCFD area with another of Coventry’s remaining four districts. A seventh group is considering the potential of rehabilitating the CCFD, installing new management and instituting improved financial and operating controls.

“These working groups are really what this Taskforce is all about,” said Carey.

“We’re not here to pass judgment on the past, we’re not here to criticize the firefighters or their union, and we are not an anti-tax group. We have a failed fire district, and we are trying to figure out what kind of a replacement organization will best serve the needs of central Coventry long-term,” he said.

Some working groups will be meeting multiple times this week, but the next meeting of the full taskforce was set for Wednesday, April 17, at 7 p.m. at Club Jogues (184 Boston St., Coventry). All central Coventry residents are welcome to participate.

A new informational website has been established at www.coventryrescue.weebly.com.