Borough Commission Gives West Cape May Volunteer Fire Co. Official Status

WEST CAPE MAY – Borough Commission passed an ordinance Nov. 25 declaring the West Cape May Volunteer Fire Company as the official fire company for the borough.
The move by Borough Commission ends three years of negotiations between the borough and fire company to grant the fire company official status.
For one year, borough commission had been trying to pass an ordinance to recognize the West Cape May Volunteer Fire Company as the official fire company of West Cape May.West Cape May Volunteer Fire Company has been in operation more than 88 years but the borough never officially recognized them as its official fire company until now. Historians believe the volunteer fire company may actually predate its 1921 incorporation.
Official recognition of the West Cape May Volunteer Fire Company will open opportunities for grant funding for future equipment needs of the fire company.
Deputy Mayor Peter Burke suggested the ordinance be added to the agenda of the Nov. 25 meeting since the volunteer fire company had satisfied all requirements of the borough. The ordinance was introduced on Sept. 9 and tabled on Oct. 14.
The ordinance specifies the fire company shall enter into a memorandum of understanding with the borough “embodying the terms and conditions governing its designation as the borough’s fire company.” The memorandum is subject to review every five years.
The borough will continue to provide annual financial appropriations to the fire company. The ordinance notes the fire company shall submit its annual budget to the board of commissioners no later than Dec. 31 each year
Mayor Pamela Kaithern said the fire company’s “all call” status needed to be discussed. West Cape May Volunteer Fire Company responds with mutual aid to fires in Cape May, Cape May Point and parts of Lower Township but it requested Cape May City Fire Company not respond to fires in West Cape May on an “all-call” basis.
Cape May Point Volunteer Fire Company also responds to fires in West Cape May on a mutual aid basis.
Kaithern sent a letter to the fire company asking them to validate the status of its ladder truck and take it out of service if it is unsafe. Fire Chief Chuck McPherson, in an interview with a local newspaper, called into question the safety of the truck. She said the fire company indicated the truck was “usable,” but that did not designate if it was safe.
Borough Commissioner Ramsey Geyer said the fire company had a letter from Underwriter’s Laboratory (UL) granting an extension for needed repairs to January 29, 2010. He said he believed the fire company believed the letter from UL indicated the ladder truck is not unsafe.
“There is no statement by anybody that says it is not unsafe,” said Geyer.
Borough Commission appropriated funding for an emergency repair of the ladder truck.