Maple Shade council votes to shut down volunteer fire department
MAPLE SHADE, N.J. (CBS) -- During a regular monthly meeting Thursday, the Maple Shade town council voted to shut down the fully volunteer Maple Shade Independent Fire Company No. 1.
Controversy had been building in this Burlington County community over the future of the fire department, and the vote was the culmination of years of back and forth between the fire department and the council.
The department and many of its supporters feel Thursday's action and a 2021 suspension are personal and political. The council and its supporters say more accountability is needed.
But the public comments during the meeting itself were largely pro-fire department.
"We tell our kids, we work things out. We're adults here," one person said. "Please let's work this out."
Another said, "this is ripping the town apart at the moment."
For now, the residents of cozy and tight-knit Maple Shade will be relying on neighboring Cherry Hill, Mount Laurel and Cinnaminson fire departments should they need help.
