Articles
Area leaders sign regional agreement on fire, EMS
By Dave Hodges
Democrat Business Editor
Members of the Big Bend Regional Partnership signed an interlocal agreement today at the Annual Chamber Community Conference, enacting a regional plan that formalizes the current practice of responding to fire and emergency events.
The partnership, which got its official start in 2007 at the Chamber Community Conference, has explored a range of issues that officials believe can be addressed on a regional basis. Tallahassee Mayor John Marks told the gathering that fire and emergency services posed a particular challenge.
“We also understood that there was a need to look at fire services in this region because some of our outlying communities did not have the level of fire services and emergency management services that they thought they should have," he explained.
Through the partnership approach, chiefs from the various fire departments and the emergency medical personnel met, began a dialogue, and resolved the issues that they faced.
"I think that is a significant step forward," he added.
Signers included the cities of Tallahassee, Quincy, Gretna and Midway, along with county representatives from Leon, Gadsden and Wakulla. Marks said Jefferson County intends to sign the agreement shortly.
The pact links the participating communities through a mutual aid arrangement. In the event that a fire department needs the assistance of another service, the plan also spells out how smaller, volunteer departments and others with limited funds can obtain that help without the risk of not being able to cover the added expense, Marks said.
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