Chief Dan Esslinger said the levy money would have enabled the department to have four people on each firetruck at six stations, and add two more life squads. Bill Banchy of the 1300 block of Tallberry Drive voted for the levy, but he isn't sure it should be put before the voters again so quickly. It is hard for the ordinary citizens to determine when a levy is too much or not. Some people get in their minds that they are against taxes and don't look at the needs. The levy money also would have been used to add crime prevention, police dog and school resource officers, and a public safety coordinator.
Records show that in the past two years there was a rash of fires in the township.
OSHA requires at least four firefighters on the scene, two inside and two outside. Anderson Township has only two firefighters on each truck. According to records, the township met minimum standards set by the National Fire Protection Association only twice last year by having four firefighters on the scene within four minutes. It failed in every instance to have 16 firefighters on the scene within eight minutes of being dispatched. Three fires had no firefighters on the scene within eight minutes.