Will Wells College’s closure affect area emergency services?
During the school year, approximately 25% of volunteers serving the Aurora-Ledyard Fire District came from Wells students. Sarah Homick is the Aurora Fire Department’s Public Information Officer. She told Finger Lakes News Radio that the public has nothing to worry about.
“We are meeting 100% of our call volume. It hurts but it’s not the end of the world,” said Homick. “During the summertime, during the winter break for school, we don’t have students full time so it’s business as usual.”
Homick did admit that the college provided a great source of volunteers through mutually beneficial programs where students could intern with the department. The enthusiasm and new ideas that students shared with local volunteers will be missed, she said.
Village Mayor Jim Orman agreed with Homick that the students in the department gave a lot to the community while adding that the department provided a unique avenue for students to interact with the village and town.
“[The students] bond really well with the fire department and get to see the community in a way that other students don’t,” he said.
He also wants to assure Aurora residents that residents don’t need to fear a reduction in emergency services due to the college’s closure.
“I don’t think it’s anything that we can’t overcome,” continued Orman.
While residents of the Aurora-Ledyard Fire District will see no loss in service, the lack of students will put a strain on remaining volunteers. For example, during night shifts, the department keeps two EMTS and a driver on call. Without the students, this can prove a burden.
“It can be a lot. You can be on call two weeks out of a month, maybe three weeks out of a month,” continued Homick. “But with that extra student on the call list, that would drop down the time we’d have to be on call.”
As stated earlier, however, the department is used to seeing volunteer numbers drop off when students leave the college for breaks so they are prepared to meet the demands of the community with the reduced numbers.
Like many volunteer fire departments across the Fingerlakes, the Aurora ire Department is always looking for new members to join its ranks.
“Everybody is welcome and there is a place for everyone in the department,” said Homick.
Anyone interested in joining the department can contact the department can visit the department’s website or contact the village offices at 315-364-7293.
Have all the Finger Lakes news from Finger Lakes News Radio delivered to your email every morning for FREE! Sign up by clicking here.
