Center Moriches proposes bond vote

The Center Moriches Fire District has scheduled a June 20 vote on a $17.9 million bond proposition that would pay for the renovation and expansion of the department’s firehouse, which presently does not have the capacity to accommodate larger trucks required by National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) standards.

Fire district officials are proposing to reconstruct a portion of the facility originally built in 1930, undertake renovations that will bring the overall building into compliance with current NFPA safety codes and standards, and add additional apparatus bays.

Based on current market conditions, the plan, if approved by voters, would increase fire district taxes from $24.188 per $100 of assessed valuation to $35.212. This amounts to less than $6.50 per week for a typical home assessed at $3,000. It keeps the cost of fire and EMS services well below that of nearby districts in Brookhaven Town such as Coram ($43.945), Brookhaven/Shirley ($42.591), Middle Island ($41.167), and North Patchogue ($39.753).

Polls will be open between noon and 9 p.m. on Tuesday, June 20 at the firehouse, located at 301 Main Street in Center Moriches.

“To protect the safety of Center Moriches residents, it’s essential for us to upgrade our obsolete firehouse,” said commissioner Edward Stypulkowski.  “These renovations will not only bring us into compliance with current fire safety codes and standards; they will also help protect the health and safety of our volunteer firefighters and the community at-large.”

An apparatus bay built in 1970 is now at the point of needing major repairs and renovations, as it is too narrow to provide for the safety of firefighters and to allow for the efficient dispatching of emergency vehicles. An annex building, added in 1990, is now at the point of requiring costly renovations to the roof and exterior envelope in addition to being too small to accommodate modern fire trucks. And the existing radio room, located on the ground level of the main firehouse, will be repurposed to better accommodate the 24-hour presence of emergency medical personnel, who currently lack a dedicated space at the firehouse.

The district’s fleet of vehicles has expanded from 10 at the time of the last major expansion in 1970 to 19 today—nearly double—including five fire trucks, three ambulances, two fire police vehicles, an advanced life support first responder, and two rescue boats.

Today’s ladder trucks are at least 29 percent longer than trucks from 40 years ago, and pumpers are 22 percent longer. They are too long to be properly accommodated by either the main apparatus bay or by the annex building.

The department’s entire communications system is now situated at basement and ground level. Based upon lessons learned from Superstorm Sandy in 2012, these telecom systems must be elevated to protect them from the threat of a flood or hurricane.

In addition, the lack of separate gear storage space creates dangerously overcrowded conditions for volunteers where vehicles operate—and exposes firefighters to carcinogens.

The community has seen a surge in alarm calls in recent years. Fire call volume has increased from 347 to 539 between 2010 and 2022, an increase of 55 percent. Emergency medical service calls have skyrocketed from 735 to 1,778 during that same period, an increase of 142 percent.

The current firehouse also violates federal Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) codes because of its lack of access for people with disabilities. It also doesn’t provide separate gear-dressing areas for men and women volunteers.

A cost analysis concluded that renovating and expanding the existing firehouse would be less expensive than building a new facility. The renovation would re-use any existing infrastructure that still meets current safety standards. 

“This renovation is long overdue and is a cost-efficient plan for our community’s taxpayers,” said commissioner John DeLong. “Building an entire new facility would not be the best use of taxpayer dollars. We worked hard to devise a plan that promotes public safety, protects our firefighters, makes us code compliant with NFPA, and saves money.”

The $17.9 million bond would be supplemented with $500,000 in reserve funds, available because of careful, conservative budgeting by the Board of Commissioners. It brings the total project to $18.4 million. Sandpebble Project Management of Speonk, N.Y., will serve as construction managers.

District officials will host a community open house on Thursday, June 15 from 7 to 9 p.m. at the firehouse to allow residents to review the existing facility and proposed plans firsthand. Residents will also be able to meet with representatives of the fire district and their consulting team to help to fully understand the scope and budget for the project.