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Volunteer fire companies ask Egg Harbor Township for operational funding talks as call volume climbs
Summary
Leaders from local volunteer fire companies told the township committee that call volume and operating costs have risen; they asked for a meeting to discuss operational support and said equipment funding from the township covers capital gear but not operational expenses.
Representatives of Egg Harbor Township’s volunteer fire companies told the township committee they want a formal meeting to discuss operational funding and rising costs after reporting sharp increases in call volume.
Chiefs and officers from Cardiff/Clark Fire Company and neighboring volunteer companies said Cardiff is the busiest station in the township, running roughly 650 calls per year, with others reporting 250–300 calls annually. Fire-company leaders described several recent structure-incident responses and said they are managing increased operations without a proportional rise in the township’s operational support.
Speakers asked for a seat at the table to explain operational needs, training and staffing pressures. One fire-company speaker said inflation has increased bills and that the township’s equipment support—"top of the line" gear, he said—does not fully address recurring operational costs. He requested a meeting after hours to allow volunteer members to attend; the mayor asked for available dates and agreed to receive proposed meeting times by email.
Several fire-company representatives said they would send a letter of support opposing the clemency request for the 2006 offender and noted joint action with police for that matter. Fire leaders also described assisting police during the 2006 incident, including providing equipment and resources.
Committee members acknowledged the frequency of recent calls and praised volunteer responders. The committee agreed to follow up: officials said they would schedule an after-hours meeting to discuss operational issues and potential solutions.
No formal funding change was approved at the meeting; the discussion produced an agreement to meet and a commitment from township officials to engage in further talks.
