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MRT Trustees approve mutual aid agreement

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By Linda Collins

Fairborn Daily Herald

MAD RIVER TOWNSHIP — The Mad River Township Board of Trustees approved a mutual aid agreement between the township and other municipalities in the greater Dayton area that will provide assistance to fire and emergency responders when there is a need for additional resources.

Township trustees unanimously approved the Greater Dayton Area Fire Departments’ Mutual Aid Agreement during the Monday, Sept. 5 township meeting. Township Trustee Kathy Estep told residents that the agreement would allow the township fire and EMS department to assist outside agencies when their resources are inadequate at the time of a fire or other emergency.

In exchange, neighboring fire departments would mobilize personnel and equipment to assist the township fire and EMS department when the department requests additional resources.

“This agreement is based on section 505.44 and 9.60 of the Ohio revised code,” Estep said.

Currently, the greater Dayton area group consists of a number of fire departments in Montgomery County and several surrounding counties, including Preble, Butler, Warren, Greene, Clark, Miami, and Darke Counties as well as Wright-Patterson Air Force Base Fire Department.

According to the terms of the two-page agreement, each agency furnishes fire department personnel and equipment, emergency medical services, hazardous materials units, environmental protection units and other resources to neighboring departments requesting mutual aid. The agreement also states that no charge would be made to any party to the agreement for services rendered by any other contracting parties.

“We have a number of fire departments in the area that are prepared to respond to our needs on a regular basis. In return, we provide them with whatever resources we have available,” Enon/Mad River Township Fire and EMS Chief Tracy Young said. “As stated in the agreement, this is a multijurisdictional effort dedicated to protecting life, property and the environment in critical times of need.”

The agreement also defines the protocol each department is expected to follow when providing mutual aid, such as reporting to the highest-ranking officer on duty of the fire department requesting assistance at the time of the emergency.

According to Young, the mutual aid agreement was formally established in 1989 and remains a non-expiring agreement for those jurisdictions choosing to participate each year. However, any party may withdraw from the agreement by submitting a 30-day written notice.

“Having this agreement in place enables area fire departments to share their staff and equipment with other members of the group. This benefits everyone,” said Young.

The chief noted that the township fire and EMS department would be providing a medic unit, gator unit and dispatch support during the United States Air Force, slated for Sept. 17 at Wright Patterson Air Force Base.

Young also presented a fire and EMS statistical report to trustees which included a response volume comparison over a three-year period. The chief reported that the fire and EMS department had responded to 1,178 calls year-to-date, including a response to a structural fire on New Horizon Avenue on Aug. 28.

Lighting contract

Township trustees approved a resolution for the renewal of the lighting contracts for the established lighting districts in Green Meadows No. 1, Green Meadows No. 2 (Holiday Valley), Enon Hills, Parkridge Acres and Hunters Glen subdivisions, as well as Emro Marketing, a commercial property located at 500 Speedway Dr.

Estep noted that these homeowners and one business reside in unincorporated districts in the township, and the assessments would appear as a line item on their property tax bills.

“Residents will see no increases. We just need this resolution to approve lighting assessments for 2017,” said Estep.

Property owners living in Green Meadows No. 1 would pay $18.59 per parcel to fund their street lighting costs, and homeowners living in Green Meadows No. 2 would pay $20.60 per parcel.

Homeowners in both Enon Hills and Parkridge Acres subdivisions will be paying $12.66 per parcel to light their streets, and property owners in Hunter’s Glenn subdivision will be paying $27.68 per parcel. Emro Marketing will be paying $549.33 per parcel for street lighting.

“This assessment will be in effect for a period of one year,” Estep added.

The next regular session of the Mad River Township Board of Trustees is schedule for 7:30 p.m. Monday, Sept. 19. All regular township sessions are held at the Enon/Mad River Township Fire and EMS station, located at 260 E. Main St. in Enon.

Linda Collins is a freelance reporter for Greene County News.