[ScanIndiana] Indy, township fire agencies would create 1 department

[indiana_scanner_freak at suscom.net]

Marion County's eight township fire departments would be merged into the Indianapolis Fire Department in 2006 to save up to $19 million a year under Mayor Bart Peterson's plan.

The proposal would create a 1,500-member department serving all residents except those living in Beech Grove, Lawrence and Speedway. Southport does not have a fire department.

The move would require legislative approval and would include the Indianapolis International Airport's fire service and the formation of a countywide ambulance service.

Property owners would pay a single tax rate for fire protection. City officials could not say which taxpayers would save money and which taxpayers would pay more.

No firefighters would lose their jobs. Township fire chiefs' titles would be changed to battalion chiefs.

Groups such as hazardous-materials response teams would be combined, and payroll, training, hiring and other administrative duties would be handled from a central office.

Peterson's aides believe the transition to a single fire department serving nearly the entire county would work because a single union represents all firefighters involved, the departments rely on the same communications system and the departments already assist each other regularly.

Some of the 63 fire stations the departments operate could be closed. But those decisions would be left to a special fire service task force Peterson intends to create to analyze the number of runs each station handles and effects of closing stations on response times.



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