THE BEEKMAN BOARD OF FIRE COMMISSIONERS HAS DECIDED TO PULL THIS REFERENDUM FROM THE DECEMBER 12TH ELECTION DUE TO THE PENDING TAX INCREASE BY THE TOWN OF BEEKMAN. ON DECEMBER 12, 2017 THERE WILL STILL BE AN ELECTION FOR ONE COMMISSIONER POSITION.
Informational Meetings on October 19th and November 16th at 7 pm at the Beekman Fire Station in the Commissioner’s Meeting Room.
Referendum will be subject to a public vote on Tuesday, December 12, 2017 at the Beekman Fire Station from 6 pm to 9 pm.
Beekman Board of Fire Commissioners Statement of Support
Our mission is to respond in a safe manner to all reported emergencies in the community of the Town of Beekman, to help the citizens deal with natural and man-made emergencies, and, with the resources available and the utmost regard for the safety of the members of the department, work to the best of our abilities to limit loss of life, property and the environment.
It is our responsibility to provide the needed resources for the Beekman Fire Company to safely and efficiently respond to the emergency needs of our community. This includes the firefighting equipment, fire engines, personal protection equipment and providing the necessary training to keep our firefighters safe and up to date with the ever changing firefighting and emergency techniques and tactics.
As your Board of Fire Commissioners, we are committed to you and our firefighters and completely endorse the need for this project so we can continue to keep you and our firefighters safe.
Beekman Board of Fire Commissioners
History and Project Description
The Beekman fire company was organized in September 1937. It has always been an all volunteer fire service dedicated to the protection of life and property of the residents of the town. In 1938 the first fire engine, a Chevrolet Pumper, was housed in an old horse shed next to the post office on Main Street. When the present day Town Hall was built in 1941 the fire department housed the pumper in the lower level of town hall. In 1976, with the town population increased to 5700 residents it was decided that the town needed the space that housed the fire equipment and the town highway equipment. The Beekman Fire Company used their funds, at no cost to the taxpayers, to purchase the property where the firehouse is located today. With an approved bond voted by the taxpayers the new firehouse was built and has been the home of the Beekman Fire Department since 1975. Additions were added to the firehouse in 1988 and 2009 due to the need for more space for equipment and District Offices. In 1993 the Beekman Fire District purchased 29.3 acres on Greenhaven Road for future uses by the Fire District. With the increase in our population to 15,000 and the additional homes built in Beekman, the Fire District set up a committee to develop a Master Plan the Greenhaven property. After consulting with professional engineers, designers and members of the Fire Department a Master Plan was designed and approved by the Fire District. After further discussions the District decided to move ahead with Phase 1 of the Master Plan.
- A fire training facility that includes a classroom structure to conduct indoor training classes and garage space for equipment associated with the fire simulators and storage of training props and equipment.
- A state of the art fire training tower designed to simulate a two story residence, which is the most prevalent type of structure we have in Beekman. This training tower will be used for live fire simulations and operate mostly using propane, as propane is the safest and cleanest fuel to use for this type of training. The training tower will also be used for firefighters to conduct the training skills that are mandated by NYS and OSHA, along with other firefighting and emergency skills that firefighters must be competent performing in order to maintain safe operations at all emergencies, including vehicle fires, vehicle accidents, and structure fires that we respond to and return home safely to their families. It is common knowledge in the fire service that fires have changed. With bigger homes being built, the use of light weight construction materials and the use of synthetic products that furnish our homes, fires are burning hotter and faster. (http://newscience.ul.com/firesafety).
The fire training center will be equipped with its own water source for use in training operations and will also serve as an additional water source to be used in the case of a fire in Beekman. In Beekman the main water source for firefighting operations is with the use of Tankers filled with water that respond with the Fire Department. These Tankers are refilled several times during firefighting operations from several water sources (ponds) located in around town.
As a result of this extensive planning and design work The Beekman Fire District is seeking a bond in the amount of 3.5 million dollars to complete Phase 1 of the Master Plan.
The Beekman Fire District Growth and Expansion Study can be viewed here.
If you have any additional questions, please contact us at greenhaven.project@wordpress-96351-1017762.cloudwaysapps.com.org and a member of the planning team will get back to you.