Fire Departments Serve Us Well

We keep hearing people ask, "how could Barnstable have five Fire Districts? (we'll discuss the water side of this issue in the future) On its face, it seems like a reasonable question to ask. But the real question is, are we, the residents and taxpayers, well served by the present setup? There is no doubt that we have the finest fire service professionals working for us. But would consolidation save us tax dollars without reducing our high level of service? We should only change what works well if the answer is yes.

I invite anyone with expertise in this area or anyone just with strong feelings to write your thoughts to us. I think it is possible to have a thoughtful and objective discussion about this issue void of the name-calling and mean-spirited remarks of discussions past.

What do you think?