The township that my volunteer fire co is in wants to create an Emergency Services Advisory Committee. Does anyone work with an advisory committee? I'm looking for pros and cons. We're a very small township (more animals than people.) Lots of farm land. The township does not pay the operating costs of the fire company, but they do donate some funds. Our ambulance is part of the fire company. The other "emergency services" in the township...1 police chief (no officers under him.) What are your thoughts on an "advisory committee?" We already have monthly general meetings at the fire house and have no problem communicating between fire and ambulance and with the police chief....

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It's never bad to get your word out to others but I would be concerned about who is advising whom. Is it a township committee advising the supervisors or arethey looking for oversight of your fire department?

We answer to a public safety committee that oversees the fire, police, and EMA, but generally unless it's budget time they don't have any meetings with us. We use them for a conduit to the council as a whole. They can be very supportive when push comes to shove in sharing reduced tax revenue.

My suggestion is to make some off the record inquiries about who is setting up and why are they setting up the advisory committee. You can learn a lot in a relaxed atmosphere.

Anything else, just ask.
Supposedly, (and I use that term loosely) the duties are according to the proposal for the committee...

1. assemble information (ex. projections of equipment needs, staff training, etc.)

We already have this information....

2. address regionalization issues and concerns

This is a state thing that is in the works.

3. consider financial implications of various options

We do this at our monthly membership meetings

Ultimately, it is my feeling that the company disapproves and we look at it as the township trying to take over and make decisions when we have a perfectly good governing body that already does these things.

Also, why do we need to spend more time away from our families volunteering on another committee when we already have a liason to the township supervisors (our liason IS one of the supervisors.) We communicate our needs and current events at every township meeting and have representation.

Honestly, I think this committee is being created solely because the woman that wants to chair it is in search of a position of power....
we have a safety committee with two officers from each department meeting with the township supervisors and discuss safety issues they also go around to each department and local township facilities and inspect for safety issues and discuss ways to fix them. i do not know it it is what your township has in mind but they are doing it here to cut down on workmans comp. claims and lower their costs for it.
Nah, we already do that as a fire company... This would be simple if that was the issue! Thanks for the thought, though.
sounds to me like the said person that wants it is trying to get herself into a place where she don't belong. our departement takes care of its self and we get along with our boro council very well. they let us handle the emergency things and are happy with us just letting them know whats going on.

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