Purpose: The primary function of the Regionalization Committee is to exam the prospects of regionalizing fire service activities in Essex County. Fire service activities consist mainly of fire suppression, EMS, fire prevention, training, fire prevention, fire investigation, and public information and education. The committee, while relatively new, intends on examining whether any or all of these functions can be consolidated to provide more effective service to the citizens.
The committee will be working with both government agencies and union leaders to explore workable solutions. This task seems daunting but has been accomplished successfully in many parts of the country.
The path to the opening of the Essex County Regional Emergency Communications Center (ECRECC) paved the way for discussion of the benefits and problems of regionalizing services. The fact that several communities are now sharing functions such as inspectional services, purchasing, etc. is an indicator of the receptiveness of government officials to at least examine the prospects.