Winnisquam Fire Department appears headed for dissolution

Just weeks the community marks the 63rd anniversary of the founding of the all-volunteer Winnisquam Fire Department — one of the oldest in the state — its members have decided to dissolve their organization.

At a meeting of the Belmont Board of Selectmen held in the Corner Meeting House Monday night, Belmont Fire Chief Rick Siegel reported that he’s recently discussed the idea of the independent Winnisquam Department disbanding and transferring all its resources into the Belmont department with Winni Fire Chief Kevin Nugent.

Siegel stressed that the move would be complicated and that it would not happen quickly.

“It’s not something that’s going to happen overnight,” he said he told Nugent.

The selectmen agreed, and instructed Siegel to continue talking about the idea with Nugent and others involved with the issue although they made no commitments.

Chief Siegel said the idea of dissolving the non-profit Winnisquam Fire & Rescue Department arose shortly after long-time Chief Dick Gray retired late last year.

“When Chief Nugent took over, he realized that it’s a 40-hour-a week job,” Siegel said. “He’s already got a 40-hour-a-week job, so he said I’m not sure I’m up to the job. And he’s younger (than Chief Gray), so he has a family and other responsibilities.”

Siegel said that there were good reasons for Belmont to consider absorbing the Winnisquam Fire Department into his department, and turning its stationhouse by the Mosquito Bridge into a substation.

For one, while the Winnisquam department services areas of Belmont, Tilton and Sanbornton, the station is actually located in Belmont. In fact, the majority of its calls are in Belmont, which is reflected in the fact that half of the department’s annual budget of $55,000 is paid for by Belmont residents; the other two communities each contribute 25 percent. (The percentages roughly reflect the amount of activity in each town.)

In addition, the Belmont Department would gain control over $100,000 in the Winnisquam Department’s Comstar fund; the fund, which is collected from ambulance runs, gives the department financial resources it can use without tapping into local property taxes.

“So there are some pluses to go with the minuses,” noted Selectman Reggie Caldwell.

Currently, the Winnisquam Department has three engines, an ambulance and a fireboat. In recent years, it’s received grants for turnout gear and a thermal camera.

Siegel also said there should be minimal problem with integrating the two staffs. Both departments are part of the Lakes Region Mutual Aid and the firefighters work together on a regular basis. “That’s going on already, everyday of the week, 24 hours a day,” Siegel said. “Their training mirrors our training.”

A fire commission made up of members of all three towns could oversee operations of the Winnisquam station, Siegel added.

But the board — and the Chief Siegel — noted there were major challenges with converging the two departments.

“Have you crunched the numbers on this?” Selectboard Chairman Brian Watterson asked the chief. “I mean, the cost of operations alone I would imagine would be huge.”

Siegel said that operating the Winnisquam firehouse costs about $50,000 per year.

Absorbing the staff of about 40 firefighters who currently work in the Winnisquam Fire Department was also a major consideration, Siegel said.

“They have 25 people on their crew and it’s all volunteer,” he told the board. “We have 24 on-call firefighters and it costs us about $40,000 a year. So you’d be talking doubling that (figure) right off the bat.”

The chief noted that the Winnisquam Fire Department staff could be fazed into the Belmont on-call crew, perhaps by working one year on a volunteer basis.

“I’d hate to cut their staff,” the chief added. “It’s all volunteer and the dedication of those guys is very high.”

Board member Ron Cormier asked Chief Siegel what would be the impact of simply closing the Winnisquam station.

“Well, most of taxpayers who have waterfront property in Belmont are served by the Winnisquam Fire Department,” he said. “And it services all of the Route 3 area … The call response time (in an emergency) would change from three minutes to eight-to-ten minutes.”

If the station were closed, at least one of the towns would likely build a substation in the area, the chief said. “It would have to have at least an engine and some medical equipment I’d imagine,” he said.

Siegel noted that he’s heard unofficially from town officials in Tilton that their town would be willing to continue to fund part of the cost of the Winnisquam station’s costs. So far, he had received no indication about how Sanbornton officials would respond.

Chief Siegel also presented the board with a letter from an attorney who has been working with the Winnisquam department on the idea of becoming part of the Belmont department. The selectmen did not make the letter public because it contains information about personnel issues, but Chairman Watterson said that it looked to be well thought out and a good basis for continuing talks.