Cramped fire company looking forward to spacious new base
Posted by the Asbury Park Press on 04/26/07
BY FRAIDY REISS
STAFF WRITER
JACKSON — The Cassville Volunteer Fire Company outgrew its Jackson home 10 years ago, a fire commissioner said.
The firehouse, which is more than 40 years old, was not built to accommodate modern fire trucks, said Gary Poppe, secretary of the Board of Commissioners for Jackson Fire District 2, which covers the west side of town.
And the Toms River Road/Route 571 property on which it sits, which measures less than a quarter acre, does not allow for any expansion, he said.
"Since 1997 we've been trying to acquire a new piece of property," said Poppe, who is a former chief.
So members of the fire company expressed their gratitude to local builder John Rutherford, who recently received preliminary approval to build 20 homes across from the firehouse — and who plans to donate a portion of that property to the town so the fire company can build a new firehouse.
"It will better enable us to serve the people of Fire District 2," Poppe, 44, said.
He explained that the firehouse main building can fit only two pumper trucks, a rescue truck and a brush unit for wildland fires. Other equipment is kept in the fire company's substation on Miller Avenue, more than three miles away, he said.
The company would like to keep its tractor trailer tanker in the new main firehouse. The tanker carries 8,000 gallons of water — hence its nickname, Rolling River — and is important in an area of town served by wells, Poppe said.
The company also wants to keep its 105-foot platform ladder truck in the new firehouse. Firefighters need the ladder truck when they respond to calls at, for instance, Six Flags Great Adventure, the Justice Complex or any tall building, Poppe said.
"When you're fighting a fire, time is your worst enemy," he said. "Whatever you can do to minimize our response time correlates back to more property we'll be able to save."
Poppe could not provide a time frame on when the new firehouse will be built or details on how much it will cost, but he said taxpayers will be asked to approve a referendum question to provide funding for construction.
And the fire company likely will sell the current firehouse, he said.
The Cassville Volunteer Fire Company formed in 1939. It currently boasts three paid firefighters and about 35 active members, said Bruce Bidwell, Board of Commissioners president.
The four-bay firehouse on Toms River Road/Route 571 was built in 1946 with money raised by the fire company, Bidwell said. It was rebuilt in 1963 after a fire destroyed it, he said.
The Miller Avenue substation was built in 1979 with taxpayer dollars approved in a referendum, he said.
Bidwell, 57, thanked Rutherford for his gift to the fire company.
"We're very happy with his consideration and his generosity in donating the land to the taxpayers of Fire District 2," he said.
Rutherford, a longtime Jackson resident, said he is happy to help his town. His company, J&J Rutherford Enterprises, Inc. received preliminary approval in February to build 20 homes on 34.5 acres. He plans to dedicate 3.75 acres for the firehouse.
"I love being able to do it," Rutherford said. "Why wouldn't I?" |
