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Dom's fire department will close Mail Tribune / Roy Musitelli Veterans Affairs Domiciliary firefighting engineer Buzz Bozeman looks out the department's engine bay in White City. The department will be eliminated this summer to save money, and Jackson County Fire District 3 will take over emergency response services. Fire District 3 will take over emergency service after signing a contract with Veterans Affairs By JILL BRISKEY Mail Tribune WHITE CITY - Since 1939, the Veterans Affairs Fire Department has examined stubbed toes, repaired leaky roofs, given aid to heart attack victims and doused countless blazes. But this summer, the seven-member crew that serves the 400 resident patients at the Veterans Affairs Domiciliary will disband and Jackson County Fire District 3 will take over emergency response services. "Without our fire department, who's going to come to the rescue?" asked Michael Porter, a local man who lives at the Dom, noting that the small department has a response time of 90 seconds. "I don't think they should cut things from a veterans facility. Everybody's here for a particular reason, and we need all the help we can get," he added. Fire District 3's White City station is 2.8 miles away from the Dom. District Fire Chief Randy Iverson estimates the response to calls for help at the Dom will be under four minutes. Domiciliary and Fire District 3 officials signed a service agreement contract last week, with a change-over date of July 1. The federal domiciliary will ease the transition by paying $499,000 to the fire district, Iverson said. The payment will allow Fire District 3 to hire three new firefighters without raising taxes, Iverson added. "We're ready to go. We could start tomorrow if need be," Iverson said. "It's just a matter of minutes to drive there." Domiciliary spokesman Bill Petrocine said the decision to contract with Fire District 3 isn't a reflection on their own fire department. "It's a cost efficiency measure," Petrocine said. "We are trying to work out the best possible transition for the firefighters as we can." In 2000, the facility spent $550,000 to maintain its department, he added. Petrocine said four of the seven-member crew will be offered early retirement packages. The remaining firefighters, or those who don't accept, will be offered jobs, although the details haven't been finalized. "They'll be on board if they want to stay. They're going to be doing a different kind of work," Petrocine said. "That's a very sensitive issue for all of us." Domiciliary engineer Buzz Bozeman of Medford said the seven-member crew has been kept in the dark regarding the change-over since day one. "They've not talked to us at all. The guys here feel a lot of animosity toward management because they haven't communicated at all," said Bozeman, who plans to retire in July. "Most of us started here pretty gung-ho. This place has left a sour taste in all our mouths." Domiciliary Chief George Mandas said the Dom crew hasn't been given any details for the future. "At this point we don't know, but the fire staff is under the impression they'll be offered remedial jobs here at the facility," he added. Fire District 3 is expected to handle an estimated 200 calls for service each year at the domiciliary. Iverson said Fire District 3 crews will spend the next few months becoming familiar with the domiciliary layout and its alarm and sprinkler systems. Petrocine said the domiciliary's fire equipment - which includes two engines and a van - will be given to another federal entity if Fire District 3 crews do not want to use it when responding to a call at the domiciliary. Reach reporter Jill Briskey at 776-4485, or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home | Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. | Dow Jones & Co., Inc. | Privacy | Contact Us Copyright � 2001 Mail Tribune, Inc.