According to the Evening Sun, fire departments across the county are hurting on a number of fronts, local fire officials warn, and it’s forcing some to make tough decisions – in some cases, even considering ceasing operations.
Local departments are struggling for various reasons, according to Matthew Beckwith, fire coordinator for the Chenango County Office of Emergency Services. At a recent meeting of the county’s safety and rules committee, Beckwith laid out some of these struggles for county officials.
Many departments are having a harder time operating with a small budget and they lack the manpower to handle calls, said Beckwith.
https://www.evesun.com/news/stories/2023-07-12/38617/Local-fire-departments-face-hardships,-possible-closing