Residents fired up after Bellevue Borough Council decertifies volunteer fire department
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) — Bellevue residents and firefighters said they were blindsided after the borough council voted to decertify the volunteer fire department last week.
On Tuesday, droves of firefighters showed up before a heated meeting in Bellevue. Residents said they are frustrated and disappointed with the move.
"I'm struggling to understand how the town is more safe and less expensive to operate without the excellent services of the volunteers?" one resident said.
The Pittsburgh Bureau of Fire is now handling calls coming out of Bellevue after the council voted to decertify Columbia Hose, Hook, and Ladder Company. The borough is now left with at least two paid firefighters and one engine to respond to emergencies.
"The way you treated these firefighters, you should be ashamed," another resident said.
Many residents feel it was a slap in the face that they did not have a say in the move.
"To make that type of decision and not get the public input, I seriously question your ability to govern and protect the citizens of this borough," one resident said.
Councilperson Sabreena Miller, who voted against the decertification, blasted the board for how everything was handled.
"The residents have every right to have some type of public engagement," Miller said. "You pulled a stunt because this is something you had in the works for quite some time. You could have handled this in a better way."
The council presented a report from studies it had done that noted the company does not have the staffing capacity to provide adequate services.
"This was dirty," said Glenn Prichard, former Bellevue volunteer fire department chief. "As a Bellevue resident, I don't approve of how this went down. My biggest concern is the danger you are leaving people in."
No board members wanted to talk to KDKA-TV on Tuesday after the meeting.
