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For over 100 years, the volunteer members of the West Salem Fire Department have provided 24-7 coverage for the West Salem Fire Protection District, which includes the village of West Salem, the town of Hamilton and the town of Barre. We, the members of the West Salem Fire Department, are seriously concerned that public safety in the West Salem Fire Protection District is being compromised due to budgetary constraints.

In July 2007, the fire district board met and passed an annual budget that, while higher than the previous year, addressed some of the shortcomings the fire department has faced these past few years, including necessary costs related to replacing outdated equipment. However, in late October 2007, the Village of West Salem balked at what was to be its share of the previously passed budget. Citing state regulations for fire departments, which were later found not to apply to the district, the village convinced the fire district board the district was $60,000 over budget, of which approximately $30,000 was the village’s responsibility.

Among the items cut was the payroll for department members, who reluctantly agreed to defer approximately $4,000 of payroll in order for the district to meet its amended budget. They did so only after being told they had exceeded budgeted payroll in the past year due to increases of fire calls, drills, classes and fire prevention. However, had the village correctly interpreted, communicated and applied the state guidelines, there would have been no basis for a reduction in the fire department budget.

Members are now compensated at $18 per call. Many neighboring departments are compensated per hour instead of per call. Recently, members battled a house fire for over four hours and then spent an additional three and a half hours cleaning and preparing equipment for the next call; $18 per person for seven and a half hours of work — that’s quite a bargain.

Volunteerism is a great and fulfilling thing, and we are proud to serve our community. However, many citizens may not know that members are required to complete a minimum of 60 hours of training and pass a live burn test in order to be of any use at a fire scene. An additional 60 hours of training is required to become a certified firefighter, the same certification that is required by any full time department such as in La Crosse and Onalaska. (Over 75 percent of the WSFD has that certification.) Also, 85 percent of members are certified in cold water rescue in addition to the many other tasks that are being performed by the department.

In addition to payroll, the department has significant expenses related to equipment and gear. Funds are sorely needed to ensure that the fire department’s equipment complies with standards established by the National Fire Protection Agency. NFPA standards require gear to be replaced every 10 years. A majority of the gear currently in use was purchased beginning in 1990. Ten sets of the oldest and most worn gear were recently replaced at a cost of $18,000. This gear, along with 15 to 20 other sets, should have been taken out of service at least three years ago.

The fire department does all it can to supplement the budget created by the village through its annual dance fundraiser. Funds raised at the dance support the purchase of equipment that isn’t covered by district funds. The department has used these funds to purchase additional cold water rescue gear, fire fighter gloves, hoods and fire prevention material. The proceeds from several past dances were used to purchase 40 pagers.

The fire department and the district have been holding the line on budgetary increases for several years; however, both labor and equipment costs necessitated an increase in the 2007 budget. That budget was not out of line when compared with the percentage increases set forth in the village’s 2008 budget. Yet, this attempt to move the fire department’s budget into the 21st century was met with much resistance from village officials. At the same time, village officials approved $208,700 for street expenses — a $95,000 increase — and also hired another part-time employee at village hall. Most recently, approval was given to purchase parkland that was not included in the 2008 budget.

By their actions, village officials have decided for you, the public, that your safety and the safety of department members are not as important as other things in the budget. The fire district’s original proposed budget included much needed funding to make the final payment on a truck and put money towards replacing two others, 35- and 40-year-old water tenders. Should either of these two trucks fail, the ability to carry enough water to a fire scene will be compromised, which would adversely effect the insurance rating the department has. If that rating goes up, so does your insurance.

The village’s tight budget for public safety also affects the Police Department. You may not be aware that while due to the powers that be at village hall, the police department is not providing 24-7 coverage. Funny how public safety has to take a back seat to everything in the village’s current budget.

The village’s handling of the fire department’s budget is questionable at best and presents a public safety hazard at worst. The “official” village budget does not even contain any numbers in the fire department’s section — only zeroes are listed. So we ask you, how can a fire district be over budget if its budget is never shown in the first place?

If you put any value on public safety, ask our current elected officials where they stand on public safety. If we can’t be protected, how can we protect the public?

Dave Munson is the fire chief of the West Salem Fire Department, Greg Hutson is the deputy chief and David McClintock is the assistant chief. The letter was also signed by the other 33 volunteers of the department.