So let me get this straight. The Borough of Glen Rock sues the Village of Ridgewood over water rates and now the Village of Ridgewood is providing free fire protection services to the Borough of Glen Rock? Huh? Free fire protection services? Free as in paid for by taxpayers from the Village of Ridgewood?
Come on, people. Surely you’ve all heard of “Mutual Aid”? If it was one of our schools in danger, Glen Rock, and others, would be there. Hackensack is not our closest hospital but they have an ambulance standing by for “our” fireworks.
This goes above and beyond “mutual Aid.” It is regular daytime response to incidents at commercial/multi unit residential buildings.
Ridgewood taxpayers need to stay alert on this issue. Look what happened when Montclair made a deal to provide fire protection services to nearby Glen Ridge. Montclair’s taxpayers got screwed big time.
Were the Mayor and Council ever told of the arrangement? Well Heather?
Surrounding towns always cover for each other either for police or fire assistance.
Looking at the picture and I have to ask . . . Will La Bella Pizza ever reopen ??
It’s OK.. we’re rich and stupid
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That’s right RB, all the surrounding towns cover for each other under the guise of mutual aid. The difference on the fire side is ALL the other towns do it with VOLUNTEERS. WE on the other hand have a COMPLETLY UNNECESSARY paid department with a 6 MILLION dollar budget and a chief making over $180 K a year. Millions more servicing pensions for guys who retire at 50. What’s wrong with this picture? 12:24 answered that for us and that’s EXACTLY what the FD, PD, VH et al have been banking on for years…literally.
Ask your homeowner’s insurance agent how much you save by having a paid force? It could actually be very little but knowing the fires faced by a volunteer force, whatever is burning usually burns down. I have actually seen Paramus firemen wait over 5 minutes AFTER they had gathered (which takes another 5 minutes or so, depending on the traffic) before anyone qualified to drive even one engine arrived. Also, our firemen are first responders to medical emergencies. I really wouldn’t say that “they are completely unnecessary”.