And although the number of calls has increased, the number of firefighters has not, fire officials say. A referendum that will appear on the ballot in November will ask voters to approve a merger of of the town's four fire districts. The effect a single municipal fire department could have on taxpayers' pockets is not clear. Those who support the merger say it will increase cooperation among the town's fire districts. With one boss, it will be easier for everyone to move in the same direction, they say.
Industry makes a greater demand for a coordinated effort.
As the number of residents in town increases, so does the number of calls to the police and rescue units. The Cumberland Rescue Service has two trucks. However, there are more calls than the two trucks can handle, Rescue Director John N. Pliakas says. Last year, the Rescue Service responded to 2,371 calls, Pliakas said. There were 173 calls the Rescue Service could not respond to and those calls had to be handled by rescue units from nearby communities.