|
Post by Chief-551 on Mar 9, 2007 0:26:47 GMT -5
Fire Company Dispute in Bradford County Thursday, March 8, 6:04 p.m. By Kurt Aaron A family in Bradford County believes an on-going dispute between two fire departments cost them their property and pets. The family's home burned Friday and they're not happy with the way firefighters responded. Windham Township east of Athens has two fire departments. Only one responded to the fire at Cletus Roediger's home because of a ordinance that states only one department is allowed to respond. The family is outraged. Roediger and his family lost everything in the fire, including three pets. They're frustrated with the fire company situation in Windham Township. "We don't want to see this happen to anybody else. We're afraid it may take the loss of a life before these people realize they can't do it by themselves," said Cletus Roedgiter. Doug Soden is president of the Windham Township Fire Department. His department is not allowed to respond to any fires anywhere inside Windham Township. It all stems from an ongoing feud that has pitted the township supervisors and the newly- formed community fire department against the established Windham Township Fire Department. "I think we could have (saved the house) yes, more than what's there now yes. When Cletus got there the whole thing was confined to the center of the house not through the whole house. I think it could have been knocked down and saved most of the house," Soden said. Charles Vansey is fire chief of Windham Community Fire Department. "The flames and everything were flying out the door. There is no way we could have saved it," Chief Vansey said, adding he disagrees with Doug Soden. "Yes, if we couldn't get inside there's no way to get inside. It's just too hot." Whether Roediger's house could have been saved by having both Windham fire departments there is being debated. One thing is for sure. They aren't working together and Roediger believes his family paid the price. "Why can't the fire departments just get along? That's how I feel too. I'm not really aware of the issue's between them but it needs to be resolved something needs to happen," Roediger said. He and his family made their feelings clear when they painted the side of their burned-out home with the words, "Thanks for nothing." A judge in Lycoming County is expected to rule next week on the ongoing dispute. As for the fire at the Roediger's home, investigators think it was cused by an electrical problem.
|
|
|
Post by chief322 on Mar 9, 2007 4:55:25 GMT -5
This article has been posted on numerous "fire" sites across the state. There have been many opinions listed on "FD" chat-boards about this topic as well. Is this how we really want to portray the fire services of Bradford County to those that we share common interests with, within the state?
I know I have quite a few opinions on this whole "mess", but have been very reluctant to express them. Then of course, opinions are like..... well you know. I don't kn ow about you all, but I am very proud of the emergency services we offer here, in our neck of the state, and I am really tiring of having to defend how our county operates in its services. Trust me, when I finally get the "balls" to post against this situation, it will not be pretty and it will become a sticky thread.
This is what happens when a FD is basically hung out to dry by a political subdivision. Where are they now?
|
|
|
Post by 2Truck on Mar 9, 2007 10:57:48 GMT -5
Keep your chins up brothers! Don't let the actions of a few tarnish the image that many of you have worked hard to create of the fire service in Bradford County.
|
|
|
Post by 921batt on Mar 9, 2007 13:29:22 GMT -5
C'mon brothers and sisters, duty above all! Everything else is BS!
Community first.
Joe
|
|
|
Post by FIREFIGHTER16 on Mar 9, 2007 15:36:50 GMT -5
I will have to agree with others on this thread. This is absolutely ridiculous, everything about this just stinks. To top it off you have Dept. 19 stating that his junior fire fighters have more training than Dept. 28's fire fighters. Are u kidding me? Grow up this is the fire service, one of the strongest band of brothers that there is, start acting like it. Bradford County has many fine fire departments lets keep that way. Stop bashing each other. Ok I'm done. ;D
|
|
|
Post by papasmurf on Mar 13, 2007 8:57:09 GMT -5
All these people ( are susposed to be adults) as adults they should be working to help others. This has been going on way too long with no end in sight. If my house was on fire I would want the closest department's called to help. I have seen this happen in other places in our county also. Lets all work together ,after all we need all the help we can when it comes to firefightering. People don't volunteer like they used too. All the department 's need all the help they can get. A firemens wife. My thoughts only about this whole matter and it is very sad our country has come to this. Kay L. Ford
|
|
|
Post by mountainman on Mar 13, 2007 14:26:24 GMT -5
Kay very well said! I agree 100%. Howard
|
|
|
Post by rescue53 on Mar 17, 2007 20:34:07 GMT -5
I am sorry for the loss of a home and pets . i am a fire fighter /emt and it saddens me when to fire companys can not get along just because of a couple of people that are having problems . come on lets all be part of a family of fire fighters ang try to get along if the problems are with 1 or 2 people put them aside when the tones go off and a call is being dispatched again we are one big family lets get along . these views are mine and do not reflect my company in any way
|
|
|
Post by 19wacker9 on Jul 9, 2007 23:43:46 GMT -5
This has been goin on for sometime now and people still dont understand. There is no fewd between the fire dept.'s. The problem is with the township and dept. 19. Not the two fire dept. And just for the record i am a member of dept. 19, and i am 16yr's old and i do have more training then pretty much all of dept. 28's firemen. How do i no this well i was once a junior member of dept. 28. But they kicked me out for no reason at all, as well as my mother and my father, b/c we finally say threw them and all of the lies that they tell people. But not a lot of people like to here the truth so ill just stop now.
|
|
GVEMS30
Full Member
"Anyone who has never made a mistake has never tried anything new." - Albert Einstein
Posts: 75
|
Post by GVEMS30 on Jul 13, 2007 13:26:54 GMT -5
I fear this will take a loss of life before common sense prevails.
|
|
|
Post by rob13t1 on Jul 14, 2007 8:12:33 GMT -5
amen, brother!
|
|