Suspended South Jersey Volunteer Fire Department Fights To Stay Open

Maple Shade VFD had services have been suspended for 90 days, according to CBS3. 

But the firefighters say there's no reason for the department to be closed.

"By suspending operations, the township is putting all the residents of this town in danger," the department said on Facebook. 

"It will require surrounding towns to respond to Maple Shade to handle and emergencies that may occur. This will increase the time that is required to respond to emergencies in town especially if the surrounding departments are already handling calls for service in their own towns."

Volunteer firefighters have served Maple Shade since 1912, and the current ones say that paid departments filling in during the 90-day suspension will ask for compensation. 

"These departments will not continue to do this for free as it will increase the workload on their staff and equipment and in crease their operating costs," the department said.

"The township is required to provide fire protection services to their residents. Whether the township wants to pay surrounding departments or create a career paid department of their own there will be a substantial cost to doing so and it will be passed on to you, the residents."

The township manager, however, maintains that residents will not see a change in fire response during the 90-day period of suspension, CBS3 says.

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