Residents Speak Out Against Victor, NY, Fire Commission's Efforts to Close Department

    June 25, 2025
    Residents spoke out at the Victor Town Board meeting to stop the Fishers Fire District board from closing the fire department.

    “My taxes for Fishers Fire Department might be $500 a year. My life’s worth a lot more than that,” Kate Hoyt said during a Victor Town Board meeting over the fire commission's proposal to shutter the Fishers Fire District. “If it wasn’t for the Fishers Fire Department last August, I wouldn’t be standing here today,” she said.

    The Fishers Fire District board recently looked to eliminate the fire department over budget concerns, meaning residents would have to rely on nearby fire departments to respond, when available, with longer response times, according to WHEC.

    “In 2024, the Fishers Fire Department responded to more than 1,300 calls for accidents, medical emergencies, and reports of fire," IAFF Local 4907 Secretary David Sorrells said during the meeting. "We are on pace to exceed that number this year...I responded to thousands of calls during my career. I know that minutes matter.”

    The fire district protects 26 square miles, including a large mall and part of the New York State Thruway, a limited-access interstate roadway. 

    Their firefighters were already told to stop responding to non-critical EMS calls to curb costs.

    A crowd gathered at Tuesday night's board meeting as rumor swirled about the district's plan to eliminate their fire department. They shared how the firefighters have come to their add and saved their lives, or their loved ones'.

    “On June 16, 2023, I presented with septic shock. A disease can typically kill in 12 hours,” resident Jeff Hefler told the board. “My blood pressure was 60 over 30. My blood oxygen was 80%. All life threatening. Fishers Fire Department showed up six minutes before the regular ambulance did and administered oxygen. ICU doctor Justin Weiss at Thompson Hospital indicated to me that he thought that early administration of oxygen probably saved my kidneys, maybe part of my brain function. My point is, response time matters,” Hefler said.

    The July 16 board meeting of the Fishers Fire Commission will decide the fate of the department. If the district dissolves the department, it could be shuttered by the end of summer.

    About the Author

    Peter Matthews | Editor-in-Chief/Conference Director

    Peter Matthews is the conference director and editor-in-chief of Firehouse. He has worked at Firehouse since 1999, serving in various roles on both Firehouse Magazine and Firehouse.com staffs. He completed an internship with the Rochester, NY, Fire Department and served with fire departments in Rush, NY, and Laurel, MD, and was a lieutenant with the Glenwood Fire Company in Glenwood, NY. Matthews served as photographer for the St. Paul, MN, Fire Department and currently is a photographer for the Fort Worth, TX, Fire Department.        

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