The Department of Fire and Emergency Management Services has presented a budget of $3.45 million for fiscal year 2016 to fund the new department\u2019s operations.<\/p>\n
DFEMS acting commissioner Clyde Norita faced lawmakers at a budget hearing on Capital Hill yesterday to defend his budget request, saying it will be used to staff the department with more firefighters and fire trucks.<\/p>\n
When asked about an item on his proposed budget that called for a deputy commissioner for the department, Norita said the department does not need the deputy position, post but it was only included in accordance with the law.<\/p>\n
In an interview, Norita said the language of the law says divisions should have a certain number of deputy commissioners that are unfunded, which in the case of the Department of Fire and Emergency Management Services, is five.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut I feel we do not need five deputy commissioners. What we would need are more firefighters,\u201d Norita said.<\/p>\n
Aside from funding operations, Norita said the $3.45-million budget calls for 10 more firefighters.<\/p>\n
He said there are currently 78 firefighters on Saipan, 11 on Tinian, and five on Rota.<\/p>\n
The additional 10 firefighters will suffice for the six stations the department has, he said.<\/p>\n
In terms of fire trucks, Norita said the department has two pumpers, each with a 750-gallon capacity, and one wildland fire truck with a 500-gallon capacity.<\/p>\n
There are several trucks needing repairs or replacement including one tanker, one pumper, and one wildland, currently not in operation.<\/p>\n
The department also has six ambulances, two of which are down, Norita said.<\/p>\n
\u201cBasically, these are the assets that the department has,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Nortia said his budget request will \u201csatisfy\u201d the current requirements of the department. =<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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