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From the Bedford Times Register
November 1, 2007
by Emily Canning-Dean
Reporter
If Walton Hills decides to accept fire service from Bedford and Maple Heights, the two cities are prepared.
At a special meeting Oct. 29, Bedford Council approved legislation to enter into a fire and rescue service agreement with Maple Heights.
Maple Heights Council approved the same legislation Oct. 17.
The first part of the legislation finalized the details of the two cities
splitting the responsibilities of fire and rescue service for Walton Hills in case the village decides to make the two cities its fire service provider.
Bedford Fire Chief Dave Nagy said Maple Heights would first be reimbursed by the village for dispatch
and fire inspector service. After that is paid, the cities would be paid equally for service.
Officials from Oakwood, which along with Maple Heights has provided
Walton Hills with fire service for the last decade, also submitted a proposal to Walton Hills.
But even if Walton Hills decides against Bedford and Maple Heights for fire service, the new agreement means the two communities will join forces in other ways.
Under the agreement the two communities
will not be permitted to enter into fire or EMS agreements with any other communities without the agreement of the other party. The two cities also will share fire dispatch
responsibilities.
And Nagy said that, for example, Maple Heights might be the first to respond to a fire that is in Bedford, but near the Maple Heights line.
"This might sound clich, but with a fire, seconds count," Nagy said. "In the past, Maple Heights would always come if we requested them, but now they would be automatically dispatched to a fire like that."
Maple Heights Fire Chief James Castelucci said, "We are entering into this agreement to improve the quality of service we provide our communities."
Under the agreement, Castelucci said the two communities also would look at purchasing equipment together
or sharing existing equipment.
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