Bow News : fire department

Police, fire struggle with old facilities

Goffstown Editor — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 20:15:00 GMT

By DAN O’BRIEN

It could be a while before Bow firefighters can move out of their dilapidated fire station on Knox Road.

Until then, they’re sleeping in a camper outside.

At least for the next month, that is. Many firefighters grew concerned about exposure to asbestos as crews continue for the next four or five weeks to remove the cancer-causing substance from tile floors in portions of the building, which is also home to the town’s Parks and Recreation Department.

Some firefighters say they’re concerned about possible exposure to asbestos over the past seven years when the tile floors slowly began to crack. There is also asbestos in the walls of the 56-year-old building, which was converted from a sawmill into a fire station, but as long as they don’t crack, the firefighters have little to no asbestos exposure.

Firefighters typically work 24-hour shifts. Because the sleeping quarters are located on the other side of a wall from where the asbestos is being removed, one firefighter donated a camper so the men and women could sleep outside but remain close enough to the fire house in time to respond to calls.

The situation isn’t much better at the police station, either, according to Town Administrator James Pitts. The station, which shares space with the Department of Public Works, and was originally the home of a private trucking company before being converted into a police station, doesn’t even have a jail cell. Prisoners are shackled to a long bench, he said. It also lacks a “sally port,” which is a garage where prisoners are taken out of police cruisers that nearly all police stations have. This is why the town needs a brand new public safety facility, Pitts said.

“Bringing the facilities up to speed (by making renovations) still doesn’t solve the design problems since they were not originally laid out to be public safety buildings,” he said. “They were built to serve other purposes.”

Pitts said the town has spent about $32,000 over the past three years on two separate evaluations on how to build the new police and fire stations.

He said a one-time cost of building a combined public safety facility, which would combine the police and fire departments under one roof on a town-owned property across from the current fire station on Knox Road, would be between $2.8 million and $3.1 million.

Right now, it’s costing the town $2.2 million to make repairs to the current fire and police stations, according to Pitts, who said the fire station is costing more but didn’t have an exact figure.

Pitts cited the slow economy and tight municipal budget as to why the town keeps putting off construction of a new public safety facility. Officials are keeping their fingers crossed that federal stimulus package money might help.

“The budget is quite lean,” he said. “We applied but we have no way of knowing if we will get anything.”

Pitts said the shrunken budget has already led to closing a transfer station, shutting off certain street lights and reducing staff at the Parks and Recreation Department, which has relocated its offices to the basement of town hall while its home at the fire station undergoes asbestos treatment.

As the town has increased in population over the past three decades, so have calls for help to the Fire Department.

The department said it responded to 1,220 calls for service in 2008 and only responded to 72 calls for the entire year of 1972.

Common calls are for assistance with motor vehicle accidents, especially on interstates 93 and 89, and medical aid calls, particularly to recently built elderly living facilities.

Firefighting is a family tradition for the Abbotts of Bow

Bow Editor — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 00:15:00 GMT

BY MATT SCHOOLEY

There’s one member of his department that Bow Fire Chief Dana Abbott may know better than other members.

Abbott has been in the department since 1971 and for the past 13 years has been working in the same fire house with his son, Justin, who continued the family tradition by becoming a firefighter.

“I think it was when he was young that he realized it was what he wanted to do. All boys like fire trucks, sirens, lights and the excitement,” said Dana. “I was quite pleased when he told me he wanted to do it.”

Since he was a child, Justin said he has spent time at the fire house, soaking in the lessons of the trade before he began studying at Laconia Community Technical College.

“It became almost second nature to me,” said Justin. “I always grew up with it since my dad’s always done it. It’s always been in the family. My grandfather did it, too, so I grew up at the fire station.”

There aren’t any specific calls that stand out from when he was a kid, but there were some memorable times.

“It was just always really neat to be able to ride in all of the different trucks, when the town got new ones and things like that,” said Justin. “I definitely remember riding along in the trucks during the town parades, too.”

Today, as a firefighter, the calls Justin recalls are often the most difficult ones.

“I think the floods were the most memorable for me and everyone who worked them,” said Justin. “We worked hard and really stuck together as a team. We had to work some very long hours and long days, but it was really rewarding.”

Fire Department business doesn’t stay in the fire house, as father and son often talk fires at home as well.

“He’s followed along and I bring a lot of stuff home. We talk to the family about stuff. He’s picked up on how we’ve done different operations,” said Dana. “He’s very dedicated also, and he really enjoys it.”

Justin said he’s glad to have the opportunity to share the experiences with his father.

“It’s been great. It’s a great family thing to do together,” he said. “I really enjoy helping out the community, and helping people.”

Seeing his son in action is something that Dana Abbott takes great pride in.

“I’m proud of what he does. said Dana. “I’d like to see him (be a full-time firefighter) because he’s good at what he does, and it’d be the next step to follow along. I’d like to see him get to that point. I could certainly see him as an officer here or in another department.”

In the future, Justin hopes to become a full-time firefighter and has taken the EMT class, which he’ll take the required test soon.

Although Dana has a different role than his son, Justin said it’s still exciting working with his father.

“When I started we used to go to calls all the time, but he was always more of the supervisor as compared to myself going in. There’s a different end of it,” said Justin.

Peers honor longtime firefighter with Academy Award

Bow Editor — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 21:22:00 GMT

BY MATT SCHOOLEY

Younger members of the Bow Fire Department who may want firefighter Lee Kimball to hang up his gear can only do one thing for now – keep up with him.

The 30-year veteran of the department was recently rewarded for his service, given the New Hampshire Fire Standards and Training Commission’s Academy Award, which is handed out for dedication and commitment to training.

“I want to stay involved until I am no longer physically able to,” said Kimball, who has held every rank except chief. “I tell them, ‘I am a bit older, but I will give it up when the 18-year-olds can keep up.’ They’re not there yet, but getting a little closer.”

Kimball began with the Bow Fire Department in 1977 when he moved to town, and since then has been involved locally, statewide and nationally with a variety of organizations. He has fought wildland fires, been state coordinator for the state Office of Emergency Management and a member of the Concord Crimeline Board of Directors, among others.

“The thing that has changed the most is the concern for safety and how we approach things.

Technology has also transformed so much, from personal protection to apparatus and how we respond to things,” said Kimball.

“There has been a certain culture change as well. The training and certification qualifications in terms of accountability are very different.”

The draw is simple.

“Number one is the ability to serve the community. It’s a great reward being significant to the protection of lives and property of others. Not just in the town I live in, but the state community and the national community,” he said. “The camaraderie is great, and once in your blood, it’s there for good and you want to stay involved.”

One of the memories that most sticks with Kimball was his involvement in disaster relief during Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Andrew.

He was forced to deal with domestic and child abuse and a large amount of homelessness in Florida following the devastation of the 1992 storm.

According to Kimball, the training may not always be the most exciting aspect of the job, but it is integral.

“Training is so important. It can be mundane, and some feel it’s a chore to do the basics over and over,” he said. “It’s those things that we do and the skills we develop that have to become roped to us that keep us out of trouble. If we do the little things right, the big things will come naturally.”

On call – Fire and police departments show how friendly rescuers can be

Bow Editor — Thu, 18 Oct 2007 14:01:00 GMT

BY MATT SCHOOLEY

Usually when police, fire, helicopter and water rescue units gather in one location, it can only mean bad news.

On Sunday, Oct. 14, however, those groups came together at the Bow Community Center to educate residents about who they can turn to in case of emergency.

The Public Safety Fair had a variety of activities, including K-9 unit and helicopter flight demonstrations, and informational booths about various emergency and safety departments.

Steve Moltisanti was one of the many visitors to the fair, along with his wife Laura, and 2-year-old daughter, Nataliee.

“I thought it would be helpful to come down, check out the fair and show that we support these people,” he said. “The helicopter and dog demonstrations were very interesting to see.”

Also at the fair was Lea Foley, her daughter, Samantha Foley, 11, and her friend, Hannah Berman, 11, whose father, Eliot, is a member of the Bow Fire Department.

“It’s extremely important to know who we have in the community that we can rely on,” said Lea Foley. “Our Police Department comes to the schools on a regular basis, which I think teaches the children a respect for authority, and also not to be afraid. It’s good to have the children be familiar with the people who are going to be there if they need help.”

Bow Police detective Jim McIntire, one of the event’s organizers, was happy to see the turnout of young people at the event.

“The important thing is that it’s interactive,” he said. “They get to touch and sit in the equipment and not be afraid of the police officers and firefighters. People are able to see these (officials) as normal guys.”

Although McIntire wasn’t able to put a definite number on how many people attended the fair, there was a steady flow throughout the day and the police department was able to give away all 55 youth T-shirts they brought to the event by early afternoon.

Hannah Foley, 11, was glad she attended the event.

“I really liked to see the dogs and learn how they help the police,” she said. “(Learning about the different departments) is really important because it tells us a lot about different emergency things.”

Ordway remembered for service to Bow

Bow Editor — Wed, 03 Oct 2007 22:48:00 GMT

BY MATT SCHOOLEY

Many things have changed in Bow over the past 60 years, but one of the town’s constants was the man who worked on a dairy farm, was chief of the Fire Department and who would do anything for his family.

Longtime Bow resident Roger S. Ordway Sr., died unexpectedly on Saturday, Sept. 29, at Concord Hospital at age 75.

Born Nov. 25, 1931, in Concord, Ordway attended Concord’s school system and graduated from Concord High School in 1949.

During his high school years, Ordway discovered a new love.

“Firefighting was always such a big passion of his,” said his wife of 55 years, Priscilla Ordway. “Ever since he was 16 years old, he just loved it.”

In 1947, he joined the Bow Fire Department and dedicated his service to the town for the next 53 years, climbing to the rank of fire chief, a position he held until his retirement in 1990.

Current Fire Chief Dana Abbott has been a member of the Bow Fire Department since 1967, and worked side by side with Ordway for many years.

“He is really hard to describe,” said Abbott. “He was a good chief who worked hard to make sure he kept up to date with the times. He always did a great job. The memories that most stand out to me are just many of the fires we worked on together.”

Ordway was involved in many activities in Bow, including the Heritage Committee, Bow Mills United Methodist Church and New Hampshire Fire Warden Association, among many others.

Priscilla Ordway described her husband as a man with many outstanding qualities.

“He was very outgoing and caring,” she said. “Roger was so interested in the town and all of the people in it, which is why he was involved in so many things in Bow.”

Ordway was a father of a daughter, Jayne Cantara, and son, Roger Ordway II, both of whom he was extremely close.

“He was a tremendous husband and such a great father to his two children,” said Priscilla Ordway. “He would do different things with each of them, and with each of his (four) grandchildren.”

Working for his grandparents on a small dairy farm on Route 3A, Roger Ordway often milked cows and learned a passion for working with his hands on small farm equipment, something that would come in handy as he opened his own small repair shop after retirement.

He was always changing with technology, though.

“Roger really enjoyed fixing things and learning to use new things. He learned to work on computers and loved to work on building things as well,” said Priscilla Ordway. “He loved to work with the kids, and he was always there for them no matter what.”

Roger Ordway will be missed, said Abbott.

“He was active in so many of the town’s activities,” said Abbott. “It is a very big loss for the town of Bow.”

Training day – Firefighters stay up-to-date with rescue operations

Bow Editor — Wed, 08 Aug 2007 21:42:00 GMT

BY MATT SCHOOLEY

A 30-year-old man bicycling on the driveway surrounding Bow High School unexpectedly hit the guardrail, flew off of his bike and rolled down a grassy embankment before tumbling over a 10-foot-high stone wall.

The man was seriously injured by the fall, but luckily he had one thing going for him – he was made of rubber and plastic.

This scenario is a very realistic one, but on Aug. 1 at Bow High School, it was a planned training session for the Bow Fire Department, who went through the evening’s events as if they were real and tried to save the life of a dummy.

As soon as the call came over the radio, the organized chaos began.

Capt. Mitchell Harrington served as incident commander and remained at the top of the hill near the guardrail, paying close attention to the tasks his crew performed.

A pick-up truck pulled head-first toward the guardrail so a rope pulley system could be anchored to a metal apparatus attached to the grill, then anchored again onto a nearby firetruck.

Meanwhile, down the hill about 50 feet, a team rappelled over the wall to check on the patient, a dummy that was lowered over the wall.

Harrington said although this was only a drill, there were still things that needed to be taken into consideration, and lessons to be learned.

“The safety and accountability of our people is always a priority whether in training or the real thing. In that particular training there were hazards, so we had to take precautions to make sure the rope systems were set up properly and the right checks and balances were in place,” he said. “The number one focus is safety and maintaining a level of competency with the challenges we face.”

Every Wednesday night, Harrington and his fellow firefighters take part in a different kind of training, dealing with everything from hoses to water rescues and extracting patients from vehicles.

Capt. Dana Mosher runs the weekly training sessions, which he said serve a variety of purposes.

“I think familiarization of the hazards and the community and working together as a team are most important,” said Mosher, who also said the goal of the exercise is to make it as real as possible without going overboard. “It’s really there to familiarize us with each other as well, and to see who may need a little more training on what parts of the skills. We have young people who have gone through the fire academy and say they know the skills, but we want to see them exhibit those skills in front of us.”

Harrington demonstrated one of the most important skills when dealing with an emergency situation is communication, as he was constantly in discussions with the different teams to be clear on what needed to be done in order to assure the patient’s well-being. A clear chain of command was in place, a plan was established and that plan was then executed precisely.

Without clear communication, Harrington said chaos can ensue.

“Dealing with any type of emergency, communication between all of the parties involved is paramount.

Especially when it’s spread out. If the people up top have a different plan than the people on the bottom it spells disaster,” he said. “If a person up top ties into a rope that they think is anchored and it isn’t, it could mean somebody falling. Communicating a game plan from the get go and as things are moving certainly ties into safety.”

Days after the training session is over Mosher discusses with those involved areas that went well, and also areas of the rescue that could use improvement.

Should Bow firefighters count on seeing a cyclist fall over a guard rail every day? No, but Mosher said his crew has directly applied its training exercises into real life situations on more than one occasion.

“You just never know what you’re going to get here,” said Mosher.

Have fire, will travel – Firefighter battles blazes in California

Bow Editor — Wed, 01 Aug 2007 20:42:00 GMT

BY MATT SCHOOLEY

After finishing putting out a 90-acre fire, Bow resident and firefighter Eliot Berman and his fellow firefighters thought they would have the chance for a rest.

But just minutes after the last flames were doused, a call came over the radio. Rest would have to wait, as Berman and his crew of 19 other firefighters picked up 7,000 feet of hose and hopped on a bus. It was time for a new battle.

Sleep would have to wait.

Berman was one of 20 New Hampshire firefighters who headed out west to fight wildfires in northern California, attempting to help control blazes that often begin with a simple strike of lightning.

After fighting two “smaller” fires, Berman and his crew received word of another blaze, known as the Fletcher fire, burning about 10 acres. After packing up their supplies, the team arrived at the site of the fire, only to find it had spread to approximately 1,000 acres.

To begin with, there were only three crews heading into the unknown with nothing but the supplies on their backs. However, just hours later, things changed a bit.

“They had a little town set up within 48 hours. It was unbelievable. When we got there, we had only three crews, and when we got back there were bathrooms, mess halls, offices for medical and supply. They set up a little community for 1,000 people,” said Berman. “You name it, and it was there.”

The fire, which began in northern California and spread over the border into Oregon, was the largest-scale blaze Berman has ever dealt with, something that was physically draining.

“It’s quite grueling, and it’s not for everybody. You have to be in shape. Even if you are in shape though, we were over 8,000 feet of elevation, so you have a little less oxygen up there, and it takes a bit to get used to,” said Berman. “But if you’re prepared for it and you’re in shape and drinking your water, it isn’t too bad. You rest when you can and you work when you have to work.”

Prior to making the trek out West, firefighters who signed up had to meet educational requirements, take a physical test of carrying a 45-pound pack for 15 minutes and take part in training exercises.

Those who pass the test are put on a list, and groups of 20 are sent to various locations. Berman and his team were the second to go out. The first group went to Canada and a third group is now waiting to assist at an unknown location.

Seven or 8 acres of flames are considered to be large in the Bow area, so 8,000 acres of blaze was uncharted territory for Berman.

“I don’t know how to explain it. It was a great time. The people were great and the leadership was fantastic. I felt extremely comfortable,” he said. “With this being my first time out there, I hadn’t experienced it before. Under the leadership we had I felt completely safe.”

Berman plans to make a presentation to his fellow Bow firefighters to describe new methods of management and leadership that can be applied on a smaller scale. Although New Hampshire likely will never face an 8,000-acre fire, Berman feels the knowledge could have been helpful during this year’s flooding or even during smaller fires.

His working experience was so satisfying, just one tour of duty fighting large fires was not enough for Berman.

“I would do it again in a heartbeat. I wish I had the opportunity to do it again this year, because I definitely would. But I am planning on going again next year for sure,” said Berman. “I’m so thankful to the town of Bow for allowing me to have this experience, as I received some of the best training I have ever experienced.”

The trip was 18 days long, 14 days of duty and four travel days. Despite the lessons he learned out West, Berman was nonetheless happy upon his return.

“It was nice to get back. We had an opportunity to sleep in beds a few times, but it was great to come back and sleep in your own bed.”

Safety building needs under scrutiny

Bow Editor — Wed, 07 Feb 2007 20:58:00 GMT

BY RYAN O’CONNOR

The town continues to look for ways to address space needs at the fire and police departments.

On Jan. 22, Bow selectmen hosted a public informational meeting at the Bow Fire Department to discuss potential renovations to town police and fire facilities, and gauge residents’ interest for a new combined public safety building.

Eric Palson, an architectural consultant hired to evaluate the current police and fire stations, and Steve Atherton of Cobb Hill Construction presented their findings.

Throughout the meeting, many residents said the town should save money, while others didn’t want to see another patchwork job on the safety buildings.

Still, many residents said it was too early to make judgments and wanted to see architectural plans and costs before making a decision.

After residents approved a $12,500 warrant article last year for a facility-needs assessment, Selectman Eric Anderson said the board will go back to Town Meeting to seek additional money for an architectural plan for a potential facility.

Resident Ray Johnson and several others, including firefighter Ted Bardwell, said they want to see police and fire workers provided safe, comfortable work environments.

“We’ve been waiting for this for far too long,” said Johnson. Everything has been patch, patch, patch, and these people protect our lives, and I’ve just got a problem spending all kinds of money on other things. And every time it comes to something of this nature, people nitpick it. In the long run, I think it would be cheaper to build from the ground up anyway.”

According to figures presented by Atherton, a new combined facility could cost $2.8 to $3.1 million.

Remedial work on the two current buildings would cost $2.1 to $2.5 million, and that estimate doesn’t include future upgrades, only current necessities.

In addition, Atherton said it would cost roughly $880,000 to $980,000 to renovate the old buildings into functioning facilities for other town uses.

Palson was critical of the town for combining the police and public works departments into one building, and the fire and recreation departments into another. He said combining unrelated town functions is atypical and it would make more sense to combine police and fire departments.

Pitts said in addition to saving money, combining police and fire services also allows the two departments to share facilities for training, electronics and other similar functions.

Though no blueprints have been drawn, and nothing is close to final, Palson used a piece town-owned land on Knox Road located across from the fire station to demonstrate where a safety facility could be built with no additional land purchase.

Police

Palson began his presentation with the police station, saying its current location is not centrally located.

He showed a diagram, which indicated an accident could happen on Interstate 93, not 50 yards from the station, and a responder would have to drive 8 miles to get from one location to the other because of the lack of highway access.

Moreover, Palson explained the station was retrofitted poorly and fails fire and ADA codes.

“It has been well treated cosmetically, which could be deceiving structurally,” said Palson.

The roof is not secure on the building, the front of the station is uninsulated, and there is no firewall between the public works department side of the building and police side. In addition, the building lacks an exhaust system, which emits fumes into the police station.

Security issues include a lack of a sally port, no secure lockup area and the inability to separate detainees.

Pitts said it’s the security issues that concern him the most.

“The Bow police facility is better than the fire department, but it is inadequate in a number of ways, most involving officer safety,” said Pitts.

Fire

Though the current fire station has a good central location to residential areas in town, Palson agreed with Pitts, saying the structure, which was built in 1956, is in far worse shape than the police department.

Problems include a makeshift bunk room with no windows or ventilation; two roof peaks of the building that flow into one centralized area, which eventually builds up with ice, leaves and other debris; water buildup in the basement; and no fire alarm or sprinkler system in the station.

The building also has vinyl asbestos flooring and the perimeter walls are uninsulated.

In addition, the garage barely fits the town’s fire trucks and slows firefighters from moving around and potentially arriving on scene. The space also forces the department to purchase smaller vehicles.

The fire department failed inspection and has until August to either plan renovations or show progress toward a new facility to receive a temporary permit extension from the state Fire Marshal’s office.

Hearing set on fire, police needs

Bow Editor — Thu, 18 Jan 2007 19:35:00 GMT

BY RYAN O’CONNOR

Bow selectmen have been meeting with consultants to determine current facility needs for the fire house, police station and the public works building. Last month, consultant Eric Palson met with the board to review the second draft of the town’s Police/Fire Facility Study.

Following the discussion, selectmen scheduled a public hearing for 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 23, at the fire station, located at the intersection of Knox and Bow Center roads.

The public hearing will follow the board’s regularly scheduled meeting at the municipal building at 5:30 p.m. Residents will be able to tour the station and discuss current facility needs and the possibility for a new combined public safety building, and uses for the two department’s current buildings should they be vacated.

Selectman Eric Anderson said the fire station, which currently adjoins the community center, can still be used.

“I really think, if you really want my gut feeling, that the whole area could be made into a beautiful recreation facility with the pond there and the proximity to the high school,” he said. “But, it’s really not set up well for the fire department.”

As part of the study presented to the board, Cobb Hill Construction was hired to break down immediate improvement costs and project the cost of a new facility, using comparisons to a similar public safety building constructed in Canterbury two years ago.

Based on assumed remedial work, improvements to the fire and police stations are projected at $2.24 million, compared to a suggested budget of $2.8 to $3.1 million for construction of a new combined safety facility.

Police department

The report cites many deficiencies in the police station such as limited roof attachment to walls, ineffective lighting, a nonfunctional fire alarm and many other safety issues.

Moreover, Police Chief Jeff Jaran said many other deficiencies listed in the report pose immediate safety concerns to officers and prisoners such as the lack of temporary holding cells, the inability to separate detained prisoners present serious safety concerns.

He also said the booking room and areas designated for suspects are lacking and present serious safety concerns. The department also needs a sally port to shield prisoners, and officers from weather and potentially dangerous outside conditions.

“It’s really not a safe environment, but we’ve made due with the space we have,” said Jaran. “When we’re providing public safety, not only for this building but also dispatch for other communities, it’s a concern. There’s no doubt about it.”

The station must also be brought up to guidelines under the Americans with Disabilities Act to allow access to those with disabilities. In addition, the current evidence room is slightly larger than a small closet, essentially busting at the seams, said Jaran, and the department has a lack of training rooms and an emergency operations center.

Still, Jaran said he isn’t taking a stand one way or another for a new building, other than to say the clear-cut deficiencies of his building need to be remedied.

“The question is, how much good money are you going to throw at a bad situation. I think that says it all,” said Jaran. “We’ve made improvements to make a comfortable work environment for the time being, but we have some glaring deficiencies that clearly need to be taken care of.”

Jaran also wants to offer a safe meeting place for Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts and other programs, but it is sometimes difficult because groups are brought into the inner workspace of the police department.

Fire department

According to Town Manager Jim Pitts, the fire station failed an inspection by the state fire marshal and although the building has received a one-year waiver, the department needs to address the lack of a working sprinkler system and other deficiencies to show progress toward a new building by the end of the waiver period.

“We’ve already spent way too much money fiddling around with that building and I think we’ve probably spent more money nickel and diming that building than it would have taken to build a new building,” said Anderson at the board’s Dec. 19 meeting. “Right now I’m looking at retrofitting it, not anything else, but typically it’s a lot cheaper to build from the ground up.”

In addition to a need for a working sprinkler and smoke alarm systems, the fire station doesn’t meet code-compliant seismic design – bay doors are too short, there is inadequate radio systems and telecom for the building and there is a lack of insulation on and around the bay doors.

The sleeping quarters for the 24/7 fire department are also inadequate and not vented properly, and wiring throughout the building needs replacement.

“The purpose of the report was to analyze the deficiencies of the building and the perceived deficiencies proved to be reality,” said Assistant Chief Richard Pistey. “I think, at this point, we’re just putting good money after bad money.”

“The building has served the town for the past 50 years, but the vast majority of fire buildings in the area have newer facilities than Bow, even though this is one of the fastest growing towns in the compact.”

Pistey is a longtime Bow resident, and while he said he doesn’t necessarily want to see his taxes go up any more than any other person, he thinks drastic improvements are necessary.

“I think the report speaks for itself. It was done by an outside consultant and he found a lot of deficiencies. So it’s probably time for a new facility, especially because if you combine the two (departments) together you receive your best bang for the buck.”