Base Firefighters At The Highlands

The dozens of buildings at The Highlands retail center in Ohio County often are crowded with thousands of people, becoming a small community of sorts. Those who work, shop and eat at The Highlands have to rely for fire protection and emergency medical services on volunteers based several miles away.

Already, the need for a more permanent arrangement to provide fire and emergency medical services is apparent. As The Highlands continues to grow, the need will, too.

Members of the Valley Grove Volunteer Fire Department, who have adopted the slogan that they are "the guardians of The Highlands," want to provide that permanent presence. Fire Chief John Harto Jr. told our reporter that the department will seek a federal grant to pay firefighters who will work at a station planned for The Highlands. Until the grant is obtained, Valley Grove volunteers will take turns manning the station, he added.

Ohio County Commissioner Randy Wharton said construction of a building to house the firefighters and other emergency services could begin this fall. He added that, "We're not sure of funding for that building ..."

It is understandable, as Wharton pointed out, that county officials have been extremely busy for the past couple of years "working on producing jobs" at The Highlands. Obviously, they have done well at that.

But we agree with Harto and other Valley Grove firefighters that a permanent emergency services presence is important for The Highlands.

While volunteer firefighters do an excellent job in serving The Highlands, they are based several miles away. Minutes lost in getting personnel and equipment to The Highlands in response to a fire, medical crisis or some other emergency could make a critical difference.

We encourage county officials, then, to continue working with the firefighters to provide a base for them at The Highlands. We also encourage federal officials to look favorably upon any request for a grant to assist the project.

Member Comments

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E2Driver
07-01-08 6:54 PM »Report Abuse	Not like it is going to happen anyway. When you have a staffed fire engine in quarters and volunteers have to go from home to the fire station to staff the fire engine, responses from a staffed on duty dept. would be quicker. That is a simple fact. And EMS times would improve also. In a cardiac arrest, SECONDS count. It isn't a question if either can do the job. A full-time Dept would be the thing to have up there. However it occurs!
E2Driver
07-01-08 6:46 PM »Report Abuse	Response time.
wvborn
07-01-08 5:04 PM »Report Abuse	Michael said:"Although the businesses would pay city taxes, they would get busing, policing, fire protection, road maintenance, snow removal, trash collection and all other city services. Maybe someone should ask Cabela’s, Kohl’s, Penny’s, Target, Wal-Mart and Wild Escape about it. Anyone agree? Disagree?" Do you think that the Highlands does not get any of the above offered to them now. I don't think so, they are afforded all of the above. So why would they want to annex to the city to pay city rate taxes and B&O Taxes when all they pay now is county rate taxes with all the benefits. The VFD's do a fine job and I don't understand why everyone feels that paid firemen do a much better job.
E2Driver
07-01-08 11:05 AM »Report Abuse	I agree with the annexation idea. This would provide ALL the necessary services to "The Highlands". I doubt however, it will happen.
somadatvgvfd
06-30-08 7:59 PM »Report Abuse	and futher more Mr. Harto how do you sleep at night knowing that Triadelphia is out running YOUR calls while you sleep all night. Maybe all the people in YOUR area sould move to the Highlands so they can be protected by the so called guardians. DO YOUR JOB RIGHT OR LET SOMEONE WITH AT LEAST A LITTLE COMMON SENSE DO IT FOR YOU. THIS MAKES ME SICK!!!!!!! THANK YOU SIR FOR NOTHING.
somadatvgvfd
06-30-08 7:51 PM »Report Abuse	I am a resident of VG and I can not believe what I'm hearing. Mr. Harto you mean to tell me that you would be able to find some firefighters to sit at a make believe building at the Highlands when you can't even respond on your own calls. You mean to tell me Mr. Harto that the all mighty dollar is somehow more important than protecting the people who have supported you for years. Help me to understand, Mr. Harto, how you live in Valley Grove and you would rather protect people and buildings that have no ties to you while people in your area suffer with a slow response time coming from the Highlands. Are you so blind to see Mr. Harto that while you are making big plans to rule the Highlands, Triadelphia VFD is running most of your calls - taking care of YOUR area. Sir you can't even run the calls you have now and your response times to anywhere are slow at best. Maybe, Mr. Harto you could tell the son of the gentleman who died after a fall at the Highlands why you were unable to respon
bekbekket
06-30-08 7:50 PM »Report Abuse	ALL the VFD's DO THE BEST THEY CAN! Some need to just shut up, and OFFER something instead of constantly being critical and vindictive. Annexing the Highlands is ONE very good suggestion.
Michael
06-30-08 5:18 PM »Report Abuse	I know some would oppose annexation of the Highlands by Wheeling. They feel the County has worked too hard for too long to loose everything now to the City. But that’s not what would happen. It’s not a zero-sum game. The Highlands would still be an engine driving economic activity in the valley even if it’s also in Wheeling. The OCDA would continue to call the shots. The OCDA would continue to own the buildings and land not owned by retailers such as Cabela’s, Kohl’s, Penny’s, Target and Wal-Mart. The OCDA would continue to collect rent on the buildings and land it owns. Since the OCDA by statute doesn’t pay any state, local or municipal taxes or fees, none of it’s revenue would go the city. Although the businesses would pay city taxes, they would get busing, policing, fire protection, road maintenance, snow removal, trash collection and all other city services. Maybe someone should ask Cabela’s, Kohl’s, Penny’s, Target, Wal-Mart and Wild Escape about it. Anyone agree? Disagree?
vgfd19
06-30-08 9:57 AM »Report Abuse	Something I would like to add to my earlier comment and it goes back to a article earlier over the weekend. "("The cost of being a volunteer goes up every day with the price of gas,” said Sam Love, a former volunteer chief and lobbyist with the West Virginia State Firemen’s Association. “We need to do something that will make somebody want to be a volunteer firefighter and stay a volunteer firefighter.” Recruitment has become an issue nationwide for volunteer departments.)" Local Departments need more volunteers you can have 20 firefighters show up for a call in the evening and weekends but only have 1 or 2 for a call on a week day. Most our working 2 or more jobs to provide for their families and unless the state helps the volunteers they soon will not be able to afford to respond to calls for help. Over half of the families in Ohio County do not pay the Fire Service Fee which helps the departments purchase fuel vehicles purchase new vehicle and attract new members.
Michael
06-30-08 9:19 AM »Report Abuse	I’m not a firefighter. I just own a little land between the Highlands and Triadelphia. I’d like to offer a suggestion which might end all these problems about busing, policing and fire protection for the Highlands. And just think about it a little while before you guys and gals kick my butt. Ask the City of Wheeling to annex the Highlands.
GETACLUE
06-30-08 9:00 AM »Report Abuse	I was at a stor in the Highlands just the other day. A alarm went off and it took close to 15 minutes to get a truck there, and you'll never guess who showed up. TRIADELPHAIA VFD, SO MUCH FOR VALLEYGROVE BEING PROTECTOR OF THE HIGHLANDS!!!!!
vgfd19
06-30-08 7:50 AM »Report Abuse	As a member of the community and the Fire Department I hope that persons posting comments take the time to think about what they say. The articles in the past have had comments that have offended persons that have worked very hard and long, too make the application for the SAFER grant possible. I have to say thank you to the person(s) who have taking there owen time to prepare the hundreds of pages of paper work for the grant and I wish the department Good Luck in getting the grant. Not only is it for the Highlands but it is also for the residence of Ohio County. I wish more departments in Ohio County would attempt this and hopefully one day a county wide paid department would be possible.
UNCOMMONSENSE
06-30-08 7:34 AM »Report Abuse	Before the first store opened this should have been the FIRST priority. The Highlands is completely without both fire and EMS as well as law enforcement. And without either LOCAL volunteers or a paid squad AT the buiding, response time will be inadequate.

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