Dear Editor,
On behalf of the Village of Owego Fire Department I am writing this letter to inform the public on a decision that the Owego Fire Department is looking into forming a Joint Fire District and separating from the Village of Owego Board as an overall governing body.
As it currently stands the governing body of the Owego Fire Department has appointed its legal affairs committee to enter into discussions with the Village of Owego Village Board members and the Mayor’s Office to seek a positive separation from the Village of Owego. The reason for looking into this is to preserve the Fire Department.
The Mayor’s Office and the Owego Fire Chief have had several conversations on preserving the Village of Owego after two major floods and resulting financial hardship. This new fire district will provide fire, rescue, and EMS services to the Village of Owego and a small adjacent parcel of the Town of Tioga. The formation of this joint fire district should assure continuation of the Fire Department for the residents of the Village at no additional cost.
The Fire Department of the Village of Owego, a volunteer fire department, was formed in the early 1800’s and incorporated by act of the New York State Legislature in 1864. It has provided continuous state-of-the-art fire protection for the village and surrounding communities since its inception.
Within the Department, the Owego Fire Department Emergency Squad was founded in 1948, one of the earliest in the State, initially providing emergency medical service coverage to all of Tioga County. Other service entities within the Department are Water Rescue, Fire Police, and Emergency Support Services.
Sincerely,
Daniel G. Gavin
Fire Chief and President of the Board of Trustees
