While not many Richfield residents read the West Bend Daily News it is important to provide facts to Richfield residents when an editorial posted in the Daily News spews false information. Please read the editorial below from John Schmitz past President of the Richfield Volunteer Fire Company.
Some devices are not able to read the attached letter from John Schmitz so it can be seen at the Read More link.
Some devices are not able to read the attached letter from John Schmitz so it can be seen at the Read More link.
Please publish this as an editorial response to an article written on May 12,2015 and an editorial response written on May 13, 2015 regarding the building of a new fire station in the Village of Richfield.
It is not often that I write an article or respond to false allegations, but the world is getting crazier by the day as uninformed people start spreading false allegations. On May 12th, 2015 an article was published regarding the Richfield Volunteer Fire Company (RVFC) making a recommendation to the Village of Richfield for an architect to design a new Fire Station to replace the current Station #2. There was also an editorial response on May 13, 2015 stating that the Village of Richfield is moving forward on making the Fire Department full-time without voter approval. While their neighbors to the West, Germantown, are debating referendum language to make their fire department full-time. Mr. Meyers states in the editorial response that “Richfield is full speed ahead on both”, a full-time fire department and a new fire station.
On the accusation of a full-time fire department, this couldn’t be further from the truth. The Richfield Volunteer Fire Company has had 2 full-time firefighter/EMT’s during the weekdays since 1998 to ensure daytime staffing needs are met. Today the same two full-time positions remain M-F days along with a third part-time position.Volunteers staff nights and weekends and the Fire Company plans to continue operating that way until volunteers are no longer applying for the job. In fact, the Fire Company is hosting a recruitment drive and open house on Monday May 18th to try and get new volunteer firefighters and EMT’s . No experience is necessary and training is provided for any accepted new members. The recruitment drive and open house will be at Station #1, 2008 HWY 175 starting at 7:00pm. If you want to make a difference and give back to your community, there is no better way.
In regards to building a new fire station, these talks have been going on for more ten years and the time is right to finally get this project moving forward. The new fire station will have sleeping quarters as a way to KEEP the fire department volunteer. Many young members want to stay on the fire department when they move away from home but have no means to volunteer their time since they do not have a place to stay while they are “on-call”. The sleeping quarters would allow the out of town members an occasional temporary place to stay and it could increase response times for the calls at night or on the weekends.
I am a 19 year veteran of the fire department, however, my views and opinions are solely mine and not those of the RVFC or the Village of Richfield.
John Schmitz
Richfield
It is not often that I write an article or respond to false allegations, but the world is getting crazier by the day as uninformed people start spreading false allegations. On May 12th, 2015 an article was published regarding the Richfield Volunteer Fire Company (RVFC) making a recommendation to the Village of Richfield for an architect to design a new Fire Station to replace the current Station #2. There was also an editorial response on May 13, 2015 stating that the Village of Richfield is moving forward on making the Fire Department full-time without voter approval. While their neighbors to the West, Germantown, are debating referendum language to make their fire department full-time. Mr. Meyers states in the editorial response that “Richfield is full speed ahead on both”, a full-time fire department and a new fire station.
On the accusation of a full-time fire department, this couldn’t be further from the truth. The Richfield Volunteer Fire Company has had 2 full-time firefighter/EMT’s during the weekdays since 1998 to ensure daytime staffing needs are met. Today the same two full-time positions remain M-F days along with a third part-time position.Volunteers staff nights and weekends and the Fire Company plans to continue operating that way until volunteers are no longer applying for the job. In fact, the Fire Company is hosting a recruitment drive and open house on Monday May 18th to try and get new volunteer firefighters and EMT’s . No experience is necessary and training is provided for any accepted new members. The recruitment drive and open house will be at Station #1, 2008 HWY 175 starting at 7:00pm. If you want to make a difference and give back to your community, there is no better way.
In regards to building a new fire station, these talks have been going on for more ten years and the time is right to finally get this project moving forward. The new fire station will have sleeping quarters as a way to KEEP the fire department volunteer. Many young members want to stay on the fire department when they move away from home but have no means to volunteer their time since they do not have a place to stay while they are “on-call”. The sleeping quarters would allow the out of town members an occasional temporary place to stay and it could increase response times for the calls at night or on the weekends.
I am a 19 year veteran of the fire department, however, my views and opinions are solely mine and not those of the RVFC or the Village of Richfield.
John Schmitz
Richfield
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