ROXBURY – Sunday’s practice burn with the Mexico and Byron fire departments encouraged selectmen and residents to look for ways to better organize and outfit their own department so they can continue in a mutual aid pact with area towns.
Mexico Fire Chief Gary Wentzell was invited to the Roxbury selectmen’s meeting Monday night to update the board and residents on what action he will take at a Wednesday meeting of Mexico selectmen regarding the continuation of mutual aid with Roxbury.
Roxbury is in danger of losing a mutual aid agreement with Mexico, Byron and Andover because of its on-again, off-again fire department the past six months or so. Members of a mutual aid pact must show that they are able and willing to help other departments.
Wentzell had said at a meeting last month that Roxbury must work to honor the 1994 pact. At that meeting, he accused Roxbury of abusing the mutual aid pact by not acknowledging emergency calls from the Paris dispatcher, prompting the need for Mexico to respond to virtually all Roxbury calls.
At Monday’s meeting, he said Mexico would continue to respond to all structure fire calls, but wait for direction from Roxbury before answering calls for accidents, grass fires and other minor fires.
Nearly a dozen Roxbury firefighters turned out for the practice burn on Sunday, and at Monday night’s meeting, plans were begun to get the names of volunteers, and to survey available equipment as well as look for ways to get other needed equipment. Tentative plans were also made for volunteer firefighters to get required physicals and hepatitis B and tetanus shots. Wentzell said Roxbury volunteer firefighters were welcome to attend training sessions with his department.
Fire Chief Gordon Touchette said the department has a mishmash of equipment acquired from a variety of sources.
“It looks like the League of Nations,” he said, adding that he is currently working with someone to write a federal grant to get some of the equipment that the department needs, such as turnout gear.
Selectman Steve Aldrich said the town must solve its problems. “If we don’t, this town will stand still. We’ve got a good start on the Fire Department,” he said.
After his meeting with selectmen Monday, Wentzell said, “If this falls through, there is no doubt in my mind that we will bill for responding to Roxbury calls.”
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