The Lehigh Acres Fire and Rescue Board of Commissioners voted 3 to 2 Thursday night to retain its ambulance service despite warnings by Fire Chief Don Adams that the vote could put Lehigh firefighters and the community at risk

Budget problems brought about the layoff of several firefighters back in August and today Adams says he has had to shut down Fire Station 105 on Milwaukee Blvd. and only has manpower to put two firefighters on an engine if he has to man the fire ambulance service, too. He said by transferring the ambulance service to the county that those EMTs who are also firefighters, would be put back on fire trucks for emergencies.

The vote came after two previous meetings when the board at first voted two to two because one of the commissioners was absent in October. Then in November, another commissioner was absent and there was no vote. Commissioners took the action at Veterans Park Community Center with about 40 people attending. Most of those were firefighters and members of t heir family.

Chief Adams told commissioners that as a professional he had to recommend transferring the ambulance service to Lee County EMS for which Lehigh voters have paid a million dollars to support. County EMS Director John Wilson was at the meeting and answered questions from the commissioners. He said the county EMS would put ambulances in Lehigh in strategic locations to maintain service and keep the response time to at least to 8 minutes and 59 seconds, the standard they use throughout the county.

Chief Adams says he fears not having enough men on fire equipment will mean the possible injury of firefighters and larger fires during the upcoming dry season. Commissioners were told that nearby fire companies, which have in the past have been called to Lehigh during major fires, have fewer firefighters, too, because of the ailing economy.

Commissioners debated the issue for at least an hour before Commissioner Jeff Berndt called for a vote. Voting to not transfer the ambulance service were Commissioners David Adams, Julie Barrett and Ralph Hemingway. Voting to transfer the ambulance service to the county were Berndt and Commissioner Joel Guzman.

“I am profoundly disappointed with tonight’s vote,” board chairman Berndt said following the vote.

Two of the three Julie Barrett and Ralph Hemingway – who voted against transferring ambulance service to the county told The Citizen after the meeting that they had already made up their minds before the meeting had begun. Commissioner David Adams said he came to the meeting thinking he would vote against transferring, but had questions he wanted to ask before the vote.

Chief Adams again reminded the board that when he was hired to run the department, he brought in more firefighters and he believed that because they had more manpower they were able to be more aggressive and keep brush fires from spreading, saving land, homes and even lives.

He also told them over and over that as a professional, it was his best judgment to transfer the ambulance service to Lee County EMS so he could put firefighters on fire trucks.

“You hired me to run the department and I am offering you my best professional opinion,” he told the board before the vote.

The meeting began at 4 p.m. and ended around 7:20 p.m., some three hours and 20 minutes, one of the longest meetings in years.

Commissioners also agreed to invite two firms to appear before the board in January and talk about assessments on property owners in a way to raise money. Commissioner Hemingway’s idea for a special assessment months ago was shot down by fellow commissioners.

The shorfall in tax income because of the recession and depression of property values brought about the laying off of at least 37 firefighters this past summer. The board has been told property values may continue to fall and that could mean more layoffs next year.

The chief said a SAFER grant has been applied for to help rehire firefighters, but the federal government probably won’t make a decision until March or April. Also, hundreds or even thousands fire departments in the country have applied for the help.

Adams said it was his understanding that the federal government looks at areas that are having difficulty in funding their departments first.

The application for the grant is included elsewhere in this section of community news.