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scubajay1153 · 11-16-2009, 01:44 AM

FLL, some good questions, some of which I can not answer, some I can.

As far as why each town may have a similar truck I explained a bit earlier why a town would buy something for it's community and I guess the only bit more I can offer is that the Laconia ladder trucks are first, and foremost for our city and they may not always be available to come to every fire alarm, chimney fire, or house fire in an adjoining community. Belmont has a very similar truck to Meredith's (in pump size, ladder length, etc) and there are additional ladder trucks in Plymouth, Alton, New Durham, Wolfeboro, Bristol, Franklin and Tilton. Note the issue of travel time to other communities if one was to summon one mutual aid. (Gilford gets an engine and ladder truck from Laconia on any reported building fire and they respond with automatic response into the city as well for the same)

And, as you mentioned breaking the taxpayers, why should the taxpayers of these communities fork out the money to buy a unit so other towns don't have to? In some areas of the country this "regional" purchasing works well as the areas are similar in response area. IN this area distance, hills, and varying needs of each community make it hard to say, buy 3 ladder trucks exactly the same, and spread them out in the county as one area may be able to use a tractor trailer ladder truck for wide boulevards and driving areas while the other needs a 500 hp motor and a short wheel base for tight access areas and severe hills.

I can tell you that Gilford, Belmont, Tilton and Franklin all have a 24 hr a day fulltime staff of 2-3 people a shift (not including daytime chiefs and such) all backed by off duty and call FF. Meredith and Alton have fulltime chiefs and call departments and I believe Moultonborough has a couple/three day people and call FF. Don't know about the others. At fires I have been at in Laconia that Meredith has come they always seem to show with a crew of 3-4 on each unit we request but I am usually to busy to notice how long it takes for them to get responding and arrive. For that you would have to ask the fine folks at MFD what the figures are.....

And St. Vincent De Paul does a great service to the community and I am sure that they have some great toys for the kiddies.

RG:
Obviously I have no stake in the Meredith fire truck nor community issues (I live in Gilford and work in the City). I merely wanted to toss some information out to help folks understand the issue a bit better from my "hands on" view. You mention the chief explaining the issue to the crowd and that is the key. Educate, inform and relate the issue to the public (PURSE STRING HOLDERS). When they are given the knowledge people feel they can make better decisions either way they choose to vote. Like I said earlier, it's our duty to educate, inform and relate to the public, and it is their right to know. But if they don't ask, or we don't tell...know one wins.

A fact I can offer:
Soon both of these units will be in service, both departments will be thankful to the taxpayers for allowing us to purchase them to provide better service to them and allow us to do it more safely. Watch the papers, I would imagine stuff will pop up when the training is done and the trucks are ready to respond.

11-16-2009, 01:44 AM	#80
scubajay1153 Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Gilford Posts: 93 Thanks: 2 Thanked 8 Times in 7 Posts	FLL, some good questions, some of which I can not answer, some I can. As far as why each town may have a similar truck I explained a bit earlier why a town would buy something for it's community and I guess the only bit more I can offer is that the Laconia ladder trucks are first, and foremost for our city and they may not always be available to come to every fire alarm, chimney fire, or house fire in an adjoining community. Belmont has a very similar truck to Meredith's (in pump size, ladder length, etc) and there are additional ladder trucks in Plymouth, Alton, New Durham, Wolfeboro, Bristol, Franklin and Tilton. Note the issue of travel time to other communities if one was to summon one mutual aid. (Gilford gets an engine and ladder truck from Laconia on any reported building fire and they respond with automatic response into the city as well for the same) And, as you mentioned breaking the taxpayers, why should the taxpayers of these communities fork out the money to buy a unit so other towns don't have to? In some areas of the country this "regional" purchasing works well as the areas are similar in response area. IN this area distance, hills, and varying needs of each community make it hard to say, buy 3 ladder trucks exactly the same, and spread them out in the county as one area may be able to use a tractor trailer ladder truck for wide boulevards and driving areas while the other needs a 500 hp motor and a short wheel base for tight access areas and severe hills. I can tell you that Gilford, Belmont, Tilton and Franklin all have a 24 hr a day fulltime staff of 2-3 people a shift (not including daytime chiefs and such) all backed by off duty and call FF. Meredith and Alton have fulltime chiefs and call departments and I believe Moultonborough has a couple/three day people and call FF. Don't know about the others. At fires I have been at in Laconia that Meredith has come they always seem to show with a crew of 3-4 on each unit we request but I am usually to busy to notice how long it takes for them to get responding and arrive. For that you would have to ask the fine folks at MFD what the figures are..... And St. Vincent De Paul does a great service to the community and I am sure that they have some great toys for the kiddies. RG: Obviously I have no stake in the Meredith fire truck nor community issues (I live in Gilford and work in the City). I merely wanted to toss some information out to help folks understand the issue a bit better from my "hands on" view. You mention the chief explaining the issue to the crowd and that is the key. Educate, inform and relate the issue to the public (PURSE STRING HOLDERS). When they are given the knowledge people feel they can make better decisions either way they choose to vote. Like I said earlier, it's our duty to educate, inform and relate to the public, and it is their right to know. But if they don't ask, or we don't tell...know one wins. A fact I can offer: Soon both of these units will be in service, both departments will be thankful to the taxpayers for allowing us to purchase them to provide better service to them and allow us to do it more safely. Watch the papers, I would imagine stuff will pop up when the training is done and the trucks are ready to respond.