POLL: Stamford Fire and Rescue's 2011 Safety Plan

A raise in district-specific taxes is one of many concerns in Mayor Michael Pavia's fire safety plan, which has been scrutinized by local firefighter organizations, undergone several updates, and remains unclear to many.

"Why are taxes being raised in the downtown district," Stamford Professional Firefighters Association president Brendan Keatley asked.

In the most recent form of Pavia's plan to create a new firehouse, he plans to merge resources from the Long Ridge, Belltown, Turn of River, and Springdale fire departments into a "Stamford Volunteer Fire Department" which would cover the fire protection area that the four separate fire departments currently cover. Besides taxes, Keatley names funding source and the stretching of manpower from local firehouses as flaws in Pavia's fire plan.

In December 2010, Keatley alleged that a North Stamford house fire exposed the in the proposed fire agreement. While the Stamford Fire Firefighters Association generally disapproves of the proposed fire plan, Pavia continues to it. In a 2010 report, Pavia estimated that implementation of his fire plan would cost "$8.2 million to fund the new department" and "$6.7 million toward hiring 58 new staff members".

"The Board of Representatives held a meeting on Sept. 22. It was a 'dog and pony show' projected by them," Keatley said.

Still recognizing a need for a fire plan, Stamford Fire and Rescue presented an to the Board of Representatives in April. It has not been approved.

"The mayor has been talking about this plan for two years. He's not answering questions, and he hasn't been very successful," Keatley said. "There will be 50% less firefighter coverage at night in Springdale, for certain."

The SPFA alleges that information regarding the funding of Pavia's fire plan is scarce, and that may be what is causing so much frustration among local firefighters.

"There's something that's not right. We're always getting stonewalled by them," Keatley said.