Maple Shade residents question who will respond in an emergency after council voted to shut down fire department
MAPLE SHADE, N.J. (CBS) -- Who will respond during an emergency?
That is the main question many people in Maple Shade are asking after council members voted to close the all-volunteer fire company that has been operating for more than 100 years.
"I'm disappointed...disappointed in the township committee," Joseph Terp said.
At 93 years young, Terp no longer responds to fires but he's been a member of the independent volunteer fire company No. 1 in Maple Shade for 66 years.
"They should work with us, not against us," he said.
Terp lives across the street from the fire company on South Maple Avenue and he is one of the many residents CBS Philadelphia talked to across town now outraged after council members voted unanimously Thursday night to shut down the department.
"Everybody is heated," Ron Wyman said. "Everybody is heated, believe me."
The vote to change the township ordinance was taken after the township said it has attempted to work with the volunteers for four years to address deficiencies in operations, certifications, and financial management.
"Is someone going to respond timely? That's a serious question I have and I want to know what the plan is," Beth Sawyer said.
The township said it plans to hire both paid and unpaid firefighters to staff the Maple Shade Fire Department. To fill the void, it will now rely on fire departments from Cherry Hill, Cinnaminson, and Mount Laurel to respond to a fire or an accident in Maple Shade.
In a joint statement released Friday, the departments said in part:
"We will continue to offer our support, united with our other mutual aid partners to minimize impacts to our respective communities while the township of Maple Shade works to restructure their fire department's operations."
"For them to come from Cherry Hill or somewhere else, by the time they come down here, a few minutes are lost, and in a fire that's very important," Terp said.
The mayor said response times will not be impacted but the chief and many people CBS Philadelphia talked to disagree.
We're also told a group of residents are now starting a petition and will deliver it to the township on Monday with 1,000 signatures in an attempt to have the council reconsider its decision.