Delray Fire Rescue Deserves More.

Delray Fire Rescue has a hard won reputation as one of the best public safety forces in the nation. The ratings have been achieved by constant training and competition which directly saves taxpayers millions.

However, the Delray Commission has not returned the favor. Here are two notable examples:​

• The Linton Blvd station has been empty for more than 3 years, uninhabitable, unsafe and unrenovated due to contracting inefficiencies. Our fire rescue staff have consequently been forced to work out of “temporary” trailers.

• The debacle of the fire station Delray shared with Highland Beach. Delray received the benefit of sharing the station with our neighbor on the barrier island. Now because Delray mismanaged the relationship, Highland Beach terminated the agreements and chose to spend millions to create its own fire rescue department.  Meanwhile, Delray is scrambling to find a parcel for a new station, including possibly building on Anchor Park. That’s in addition to the $5 million of annual revenue we lose from servicing Highland Beach.  Only one of two things happen by covering that shortfall:  taxes go up or fire fighters get fired

The current City Commission seems content to just make empty proclamations about supporting our first responders.  We need leaders who will give these people the tools to do their job without overly burdening the taxpayers.