With the apathy that already exists in Bradford, I really don't think a volunter fire department would be a good way to go. I would hate to think of a fire at Emery towers, or another high rise on fire, waiting for volunteers.

That is exactly where you are mistaken and what makes me disagree with you on this subject. The city fire department is NOT PAID to respond to the Bradford Mall.

Exactly my point!! and like I said before "Co-operation" among the municipalities should be considered!

Unionman, for the record I am a Pro Union individual and am guessing by your name on here you may be one of those Paid Firemen that get to sit in the firehouse while volunteers are doing your work. I am done talking with you on this subject and btw, it still BURNS MY ASS!

Wolf, just so you know, I do my own work. Others may volunteer to do similar work, but my responsibilities are handled by me. Nobody volunteers to do my work while I sit on my AZZ.

I am all for cooperation. I believe there is cooperation to some point. The city's fire department has responded into Foster Township when THEY NEED HELP. I have seen the pictures in the Bradford Era to prove it.

You keep talking about cooperation, but you seem to think the city fire department should go into Foster Twp and do the work of the fire department that is contracted to provided services for that area. Then you go on to say that the fire department contracted to provide those services should have another fire department do their work for them, just because that fire department happens to be staff with firefighters who get a paycheck. Cooperation is a two way street but you have only covered one side. You have defined welfare.

I asked around today and found out that the helicopters that land at UPB are handled by the UPB police. No fire truck or volunteer firemen needed. Why is the mall any different? I couldn't get an answer to that one.

I also found out that the municipalties outside of the city have very little to do with the operations of their fire departments. Most of these volunteer fire departments are private and they are contracted to provide fire department services to the municipality. This information creates a small problem with your concept of cooperation between municipalities. The city is the only one that controls the fire department and can offer services outside of the normal city services. None of the foster township supervisors have any control over the multiple fire departments who provide fire service in Foster Township.

Now that we have both been educated on how this works, if Foster Township or Derrick City VFD wanted the city fire department to provide services to the mall for helicopter landings they would need to contact the city government and request this. Then the paid firemen who are sitting in their warm station on their azz will go and help the helicopter land. Until then, it is status quo. I would suggest that you get the paid firemen to come with an ambulance or a fire truck to address the burning sensation in your azz because I doubt this will happen soon.

One solution would be move the landing zone to a city location. Such as: Hospital parking lots, I thought they had a site marked off. Maybe not now because I fortunately have not had to visit the hospital in awhile or High School or Middle School lots. When I got flown out they landed on the roof of the hospital in Pittsburgh.

Bottom line, I do not like seeing our Paid City Fire Department doing nothing when the area VFD's cover their duties. And once again, I know the Volunteer's love to do what they do and I commend them for their loyalties. But like some of the other posters on here, I would like to see the numbers on how many times the area VFD's have backed up the city VS. how many times the City Fire Department have backed up the VFD's. The numbers would certainly be interesting.

Enough said from me on that issue and onto another thing that burns my ass is I cannot barely afford a trip to the dentist I need for a lost filling but while I was at Walmart today I see people who are on Welfare with a cart full of junk food and can get medical and dental care but yet teeth were rotten. This too Burns My Ass!

Everyone should add what Burns Your Azzon here just for sh*tz and giggles!

Did I miss something? The City Fire Department is paid to respond in the city and occasionally does go out to the other townships. The Bradford "Mall" is not city property. So why exactly do you think that the City Fire Department should be accountable for this job, they are paid to respond to fires in Foster Township not clear way for a helicopter. Which really still doesn't make sense that they'd have to because it's a gigantic parking lot, there are maybe a maximum of 50 cars in that lot at any given time- and no where near where the helicopter would have to land, so why can't Foster Township Police handle it?

A very good question. Anybody have an answer?