This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Crime & Safety

Feeling the Pinch

Budget cuts made under Suozzi reduces RVCFD training sessions.

While the recession is supposedly behind us, Rockville Centre's bravest – those literally with their boots on the ground – are still feeling the effects.

The $1 million cut to Nassau County's Fire Service budget made during former Nassau County Executive Thomas Suozzi's administration, has impacted fire departments' training programs, and some think, it may have compromised public safety in the process.

"Budget cuts under the Suozzi administration had a great impact on the Rockville Centre Fire Department as well as every other department in Nassau County," said Mark Murray, Rockville Centre's Fire Chief.

Find out what's happening in Rockville Centrewith free, real-time updates from Patch.

In particular, the cuts have reduced the department's special training sessions. All county firefighters — including Rockville Centre — are required to undergo certain training maintenance classes throughout the course of the year. Budget cuts have changed the structure and frequency of those sessions.

"In years past, each department would have two, four-night sessions out at the Nassau County Fire Service Academy throughout the year," Murray explained. "When Suozzi made the cuts, it affected the structure of the Nassau County Fire Service Academy and only allowed departments to have one, three-night session per year."

Find out what's happening in Rockville Centrewith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Murray said that not all departments have the same needs, but all competent and capable public servants do.

"Some departments have more of a fire load then others and the lesser ones need to be trained just as well as the heavy load departments," he said. "Either way, each department needs to be trained to its fullest extent from its newer members to its senior members."

While veteran firefighters who already have extensive training and real-life experience in the field might not be as affected, Murray noted, his concern is for his rookies, and ultimately for the residents his department is trained to protect.

"Not only will the newer members feel the effects by not having live fire training, but ultimately the local homeowner or business owner would feel the effect by having a lesser experienced firefighter by lack of on-hands training," Murray said. "There are a lot of instincts of fire fighting that you can't read in a book."

According to Murray, current Nassau County Executive Ed Mangano's administration has promised to restore these budget cuts in its new fiscal planning.

The Nassau County Executive's office declined comment for this story. 

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?

To request removal of your name from an arrest report, submit these required items to arrestreports@patch.com.