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A look back at consolidation north of the border
Excerpts from the Journal-Sentinel online:
The consolidation of seven fire and rescue departments on the North Shore of Wisconsin 20 years ago has led to significant cost savings for the communities while improving service quality, according to a recent report by the Public Policy Forum.
The report, titled “Come Together: An Analysis of Fire Department Consolidation in Milwaukee County’s North Shore,†states that if the seven municipalities had not merged their departments into one, they would have spent an extra $2.8 million annually in 2014 to maintain the same level of service. This demonstrates the financial and operational benefits of consolidation.
Public Policy Forum President Rob Henken emphasized that other municipalities in southeastern Wisconsin could also benefit from merging services like fire, police, health, and even school districts. He pointed out that with 146 municipalities and 92 school districts in the region, there is great potential for cost savings through collaboration.
Although the North Shore communities took 10 years to reach the decision to consolidate in 1995, it was only possible due to the willingness of local leaders to take a risk. Fire Chief Robert Whitaker, who has served with the department for two decades and became chief in 2010, noted that the process required compromise and a loss of some local control.
“One of the biggest challenges was losing the sense of identity,†Whitaker said. “A municipality’s name no longer appears on fire trucks or firefighter uniforms. But when you arrive at an emergency, people don’t ask where you’re from.â€
Looking back, he believes the move was worth it. “We are now providing a much better service at a lower cost,†he added.
This month, the North Shore Fire Department earned accreditation from the Commission on Fire Accreditation International, a rare achievement. Only 218 fire and rescue organizations in the U.S. have received this recognition, according to Whitaker.
The report highlights that the department now uses fewer resources than the seven separate departments did 20 years ago. There are 10 fewer firefighters, but the current full-time professional force offers better training and faster response times compared to the past, when some officers had dual roles and many firefighters were part-time.
Fire stations have been reduced from seven to five, and the number of vehicles has dropped from 31 to 15. In 2014, each community saw annual operating savings ranging from $14,279 in River Hills to over $1 million in Shorewood. Other savings included $258,483 in Bayside, $624,717 in Brown Deer, $294,720 in Fox Point, $106,867 in Glendale, and $410,110 in Whitefish Bay.
Additionally, the seven communities saved $3.4 million by avoiding the need to replace all pre-consolidation vehicles over 20 years.
Some neighboring areas have also opted for shared services, such as Richfield contracting with the Washington County Sheriff’s Department for law enforcement, and West Milwaukee purchasing fire and EMS services from Milwaukee.
In 2012, the Public Policy Forum urged five southern Milwaukee County communities—Franklin, Greendale, Greenfield, Hales Corners, and Oak Creek—to consolidate their fire departments. While the effort hasn’t yet materialized, the report suggests that doing so could save $1 million annually and around $4 million over five years in vehicle replacement costs.