Zephyrhills chief asks to keep department intact

ZEPHYRHILLS -- Zephyrhills fire Chief Robert Hartwig on Monday night urged the City Council to keep his department fully intact, despite predictions his firefighters would respond to only half its typical volume of calls after Pasco County Fire Rescue takes over part of Zephyrhills' fire district.

But such a request could be a tall order for the council, one of whose members questioned why the Fire Department, in the face of shrinking territory, needed three shifts of six firefighters spread over three stations.

The county's impending takeover of 22 square miles of the Zephyrhills fire district lying in unincorporated Pasco will cost the city an estimated $428,000 next year, or about a quarter of the department's budget.

Hartwig complained it's a bad deal for city and county residents alike. City residents would have to make up the $428,000 shortfall or else lay off firefighters and paramedics and possibly close stations.

County residents long served by Zephyrhills will face higher county fire taxes and longer response times, according to charts Hartwig presented to the City Council.

Hartwig questioned the county's reasoning for wanting to annex part of the fire district, as well as the part of the territory served by Dade City firefighters.

County officials reasoned their fire service could protect residents more cheaply, Hartwig said. But if that were so, how come everyone will pay higher taxes?

"I don't want to have to make any cuts," Hartwig told council members. ". . . We're operating at a bare minimum now."

City Manager Steve Spina might have other ideas. Last week Spina suggested that cuts -- whether in employees, building or equipment -- were likely with the county takeover of much of the city firefighters' duties.

Facing a squad of firefighters in the meeting room Monday, Spina never used such words. But he did admonish Hartwig for asking the council to leave his department unscathed.

"I don't think that's very fair to ask of the council," Spina told Hartwig.

Hartwig estimated that of the 4,047 calls his department responded to last year, about half came from territory the county plans to annex.

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