By SCOTT SMITH — Kokomo’s proposed west side annexation is putting the Harrison Township Volunteer Fire Department in a defensive mode, caught in the debate over township autonomy and the potential benefits of government consolidation.

Kokomo Mayor Greg Goodnight wants to consolidate the Kokomo and Harrison Township fire departments, bringing city fire protection to areas of the county even beyond his proposed new city boundaries.

In return for the township’s Alto fire house and firefighting equipment, Goodnight said he can offer Harrison Township residents better fire protection at a lower cost.

To that, Harrison Township Fire Chief Jeff Zimmerman says he’s heard a lot of promises, and seriously doubts Goodnight can deliver.

“What if they had two emergencies in the township at the same time? That’s something we’re prepared for,” Goodnight said Wednesday. “And you have to look at cost savings. It saves money for everybody if you eliminate government overlap.

“This is not to show disrespect toward the volunteer departments; they should be admired and applauded. But this is about a long-term vision of our city, and the elimination of duplicative government services.”

Harrison Township trustee John Harbaugh isn’t saying anything publicly on Goodnight’s offer.

“All of this is just conjecture. Until I see some numbers, I’m willing to look at things,” he said Wednesday.

But Zimmerman said he’s suspicious that discussion of consolidating the departments began in earnest after the city’s annexation plan came out.

“There’s been a lot of promises made by the city, but why is their plan changing? That tells me they don’t have the money to buy new fire stations, let alone staff them and buy new equipment,” he said.

Goodnight insists the city will move ahead with plans, regardless of whether they can convince either Harrison and/or Taylor townships to sign fire protection/emergency medical services agreements with the city.

One of the neighborhoods at the center of the annexation debate, Devon Woods, contracts with Galveston’s volunteers for fire protection. Devon Woods is in Clay Township.

And the unincorporated areas of Center Township have had Kokomo fire protection for years.

In return for the cost of buying a new engine every decade or so, and providing $70,000 a year, Center Township Trustee Jean Lushin is assured of having a full Kokomo Fire Department “code” at any working fire in Center Township.

That means three staffed fire engines, an ambulance, a squad vehicle and other staff as needed.

Kokomo deputy chief Randy Wilson agreed with Zimmerman that volunteers are trained professionally, but said “the debate, to me, is not about who is better, it’s about who can get there quickest.”

“We can get to 90 percent of fires within four minutes,” Wilson said. “The basic difference is that the majority of the time, there’s nobody at [a volunteer] station. Sometimes they need four minutes just to get to the station to get their equipment.”

Getting to a fire within four minutes often means the difference between being able to enter the building to attack the fire, or being forced to stay outside the structure, fighting the fire defensively, he said.

“For people who’ve never had a fire, they don’t understand that,” he said.

Goodnight said he understands he has an uphill battle in an area already upset over annexation plans, but asks residents to consider whether having two fire stations at Alto is the best use of taxpayer money.

“Option A is that we do nothing about consolidation, and Harrison Township has a fire station, and we’d have to build a fire station next door,” Goodnight said. “But people are demanding consolidation of services, and rightfully so.”

He also said the city’s new fire station on West Sycamore could provide response times of three minutes to residents on the northern part of Harrison Township. Wilson said the city is also planning to purchase a pumper/tanker to fight fires in areas where no fire hydrants are located.

Zimmerman, however, maintains the volunteers can do every bit as good a job as the city can.

He said the gap between city residents’ fire protection insurance ratings and the ratings for township residents have narrowed in the three years he’s been chief.

“I’d say to the city to stay in your own area,” Zimmerman said. “You’ve already got a fire protection area.”

Taylor Township another partner?

City officials said they’re also considering a partnership with the Taylor Township trustee’s office, although they don’t want to assume fire protection for the entire township, as they would in Harrison Township.

Rather, the city needs to build a new fire station to serve southeastern areas such as Highland Springs, and if the city annexes Indian Heights, a partnership would make sense.

City officials say they would favor the Taylor Township trustee maintaining the current township fire station in Center, but would like to move the station now in Indian Heights further east, possibly near the intersection of Center and Albright roads.

Taylor Township trustee Dianne Kuntz could not be immediately be reached for comment Wednesday.

Scott Smith may be reached at (765) 454-8569 or via e-mail at scott.smith@kokomotribune.com