©2011 Galesburg Broadcasting Co.
| Galesburg Fire Service Area Extended |
Residents in some areas just outside of the City of Galesburg now have a choice in who they want to respond to a potential fire on their property -- as long as they're willing to pay for it.
The Galesburg City Council this week voted seven-to-one, with Third Ward Alderman Russell Fleming voting no, to allow residents within two miles of Galesburg city limits to enter into a contract with the Galesburg Fire Department to ensure that department's response first to their fire.
The reason, city officials say, is that the fire department in their district might be able to respond as quickly.
Fleming unsuccessfully tried to get the ordinance tabled -- because, he said, speaking off-microphone, he's concerned about when a contract would take effect and how it would affect the 911 dispatch center.
"If we've got a contract with (a homeowner), we've got an obligation to provide that service, and there's no time to give for the inputting of that information to the system," Fleming said. "So, we need to work on that contract. I don't want a fire truck showing up to a residence thinking (a homeowner is) covered, and we find out they're not."
City officials say that's an issue that's already been discussed and should be able to be taken care of without problems, or without any loss of fire protection.
Other cities like Monmouth have already had much such fire protection available for years. In the case of those who are eligible for and Galesburg fire services, they would be charged a rate equal to seven-dollars per one-thousand dollars of assessed property value if they sign a contract. |
|
| 11 06 09 by Newsroom |
Click here for the WGIL News Archive
Click here for national news
The following provision applies to all visitors (which shall include persons and representatives of legal entities, whether such representatives are persons or digital engines of a kind that crawls, indexes, scrapes, copies, stores or transmits digital content). By accessing this Web site or digital service, you specifically acknowledge and agree that: (i) Associated Press text, photo, graphic, audio and/or video material shall not be published, broadcast, rewritten for broadcast or publication or redistributed directly or indirectly in any medium; (ii) No Associated Press materials nor any portion thereof may be stored in a computer except for personal and non-commercial use; (iii) The Associated Press will not be held liable for any delays, inaccuracies, errors or omissions therefrom or in the transmission or delivery of all or any part thereof or for any damages arising from any of the foregoing; (iv) The Associated Press is an intended third party beneficiary of these terms and conditions and it may exercise all rights and remedies available to it; and (v) The Associated Press reserves the right to audit possible unauthorized commercial use of AP materials or any portion thereof at any time.
