RICHARD ANDERSON
SOUTHWICK – Southwick Fire Chief Richard Anderson has helped grow the department significantly in his two years as chief.
When he started in 2011, there was just one fulltime firefighter/EMT on staff. Today, there are four.
“Southwick is growing and we have to grow with it,” he said.
This week Anderson met with the Board of Selectmen to review his preliminary budget for next year before meeting with the board and finance committee during budget sessions in February.
During the meeting, Anderson was reminded by selectmen Russell Fox and Joseph Deedy that he “was the beneficiary of the goodwill of the taxpayers last year.”
Anderson agreed a lot was accomplished in 2013, and said because there was some restructuring last year and full-time addition to staff, “there are things that can start to move forward.”
Something Anderson is committed to moving forward is changing from a basic EMS service to advanced life support. Currently, Southwick relies on mutual aid from Westfield and Agawam for calls requiring the advanced service. To do this, Anderson said they would need paramedics and a little bit of money.
“We have one certified paramedic already and we have two people – one full-time and one volunteer – who are putting themselves through school now,” said Anderson.
Switching to an advanced life support department would help save lives, said Anderson.
“We can help people faster and the time is right,” he said. “We are working with the Finance Committee and selectmen – this is something we feel is important and it won’t cost a lot. It’s minimal cost but a great leap in services.”
The cost of paramedics would be offset by fees. Right now, ambulance fees total over $320,000. Anderson said it covers most of the department’s $400,000 EMS budget.
“Paramedics can give us the tools so we can save lives, and that’s what we do here – save lives and save property,” Anderson said.
Anderson told the board this week that the budget priority this year is how to deal with having to take Engine 2 offline.
While having the truck serviced for some corrosion, even more deterioration was found under the frame that holds the water tank. The 1994 engine is approaching an age when putting it in reserve is recommended.
“We’re not able to have a reserve so we have to decide what to do,” he said.
A committee was formed within the department to thoroughly research its options. Anderson told the board that the cost of repairs and painting is $159,000. An equal custom-built replacement is $450,000, a similar engine with a commercial chassis versus a custom one is $325,000 and a mini-pumper is $225,000.
While a decision is made, the town is working with the town of Suffield to lease a 1993 engine they no longer use.
Anderson said there are pros and cons to each option. The full size engine is capable of holding 1,000 gallons of water while the mini pumper holds just 300 but there are ways to extend that 300 gallons.
The current fleet, minus Engine 2, includes one engine, one tanker, and one ladder truck.
“We’re not in terrible shape. We’re okay, but we have to rely on mutual aid more,” he said.
Anderson became chief in 2011 and added a second full-time firefighter/EMT immediately. A third was added in 2012 and a fourth in 2013. In the past two years, Anderson has overseen the installation of laptops on the ambulances and now in the fire apparatus, updates to the pre-plans for town buildings, creation of a internship program, computerization of the department in sync with police and dispatch system, change from a secretary to administrative assistant, and creation of a union for full-time firefighter/EMTs.
“There is a lot going on,” said Anderson, noting that a newly designed website and Facebook page are set to go live any day. “We still have a long way to go, but I can’t say enough about the department – full-time and volunteers – who are growing and working so we serve the town better.”
