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No funding set aside for fixes to county fire, rescue
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WASHINGTON (Map, News) - Prince William County, suffering with a tight budget, expects to have trouble funding critical recommendations stemming from its long-running investigation into how a firefighter died responding to a Woodbridge house fire in April.
For months since Kyle R. Wilson, 24, died in the early morning of April 16, Fire and Rescue Department officials have been investigating what happened and trying to develop recommendations to improve responses.
The tentative budget outline supervisors approved last week does not fund the fixes that are expected in the exhaustive report.
With property values plunging dramatically, even a proposed 28 percent increase in the property tax rate would not provide enough new revenue to pay for improvements in the fire and rescue budget, Assistant County Executive Melissa Peacor said.
The cost of other county priorities could sap extra money targeted for new programs like the report, officials said.
Wilson’s death was the first in the history of the county’s fire and rescue department, and new Fire Chief Kevin McGee expects the report’s recommendations to become a fundamental feature of his leadership.
“We have an investigation team that has basically been locked up in a room every day going over what happened,” McGee said in November. “We’re going to be focusing a great deal of the fire and rescue energy on implementing the recommendations of that report in an effort to enhance the safety of all of our first responders.”
Wilson and a rescue-ladder truck officer were in the second floor of the burning house when he became disoriented and separated from the officer, according to a U.S. Fire Administration notice. Firefighters were unable to reach Wilson’s maydays as conditions worsened, and he died at the scene. Two other firefighters were injured and the home’s seven occupants escaped unharmed.
While no more information about the investigation’s recommendations or scope will be released until the report is released next month, department spokesman Randy Earl said Wednesday, county officials expect the report to bring new costs.
dgenz@dcexaminer.com
Comments from Examiner Readers
6:44 AM MST on Wed., Apr. 23, 2008 re: "Pr. William chairman proposes cutting $21 million in spending"
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7:01 AM MST on Wed., Dec. 19, 2007
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1:46 PM MST on Mon., Oct. 29, 2007
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blue_doggette said:
Perhaps if the Supervisors signed a waiver and agreed to pay for any legal fees awarded over our 287 (g) criminal alien out of their own pockets, they would quickly appropriate the money for vehicle cameras. Going against the advice of County Attorney Horton and the CXO, Corey Stewart continues to lead the charge against these devices. Perhaps he should listen to his executive employees rather than a certain Gainesville district resident who has been giving him very bad advise.
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Examiner Reader said:
No wonder foreclosures are so high in PW county. A county of 400,000 with an estimated 70,000 illegals (at the highest). The illegals have to live somewhere....so investors buy multiple homes to use as rentals. The illegals move out because PW county cracksdown (good)....however that leaves hundreds of homes vacant....and maybe foreclosed. We'll get through this pain. The Federal Gov't caused this problem by encouraging illegals to come by their silence.....the Feds should step up and compensate PW county for the problem they caused in the first place. PW county will be fine. We'll get through this.
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Examiner Reader said:
Get rid of the Illegals and you won't need to build new schools.
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