The Fishers Fire District will cease operations October 1 following a contentious months-long debate that drew sharp warnings from firefighters, frustration from residents, and promises of continuity from the Town of Victor.
Early warnings and pushback
The controversy began in mid-July when Assistant Chief Michael Koch issued a blistering public letter condemning the Board of Fire Commissioners’ plan to dissolve the district. Koch called the move “reckless” and warned it would dismantle a professional emergency response system that handles more than 1,300 calls a year. He argued a volunteer-only model could not meet the community’s needs and urged commissioners to resign.
That same week, a scheduled vote was delayed after a heated public hearing. Dozens of residents, joined by Victor Town Supervisor Jack Marren, demanded more time to evaluate the plan. Critics noted that the district had no debt and healthy reserves, questioning why financial projections decades into the future justified dismantling a functioning department. Some residents warned response times could increase by as much as 10 minutes if the plan moved forward.
Town prepares for transition
As pressure mounted, the Town of Victor announced it was preparing emergency coverage plans in case the district dissolved. Officials emphasized they were not involved in the commissioners’ decision but said they were required under state law to ensure uninterrupted fire and EMS service. Professional firefighters pushed back, warning the dissolution could strip the community’s ISO Class 3 fire rating—among the better scores in New York—to the lowest possible level, raising insurance costs and straining neighboring departments.
Final vote and fallout
On Monday night, commissioners voted to dissolve the district by October 1. The decision, made at Victor High School, was met with boos from the audience. Leaders cited concerns over rising long-term costs, particularly benefits, and warned of looming tax hikes if the district continued in its current form. The board stressed the district’s finances are stable now, but argued the future trajectory was unsustainable.
The outcome leaves dozens of firefighters facing job losses and residents uncertain about how fire protection will be structured going forward. Victor officials said they will announce details of the town’s new emergency services plan in the coming weeks.
What comes next
While the Town of Victor will assume responsibility on October 1, many residents and firefighters remain unconvinced the transition will maintain the same level of protection. Union leaders argue safety and response times will suffer, while town leaders insist coverage will remain reliable.
The dissolution ends a decades-long chapter for Fishers Fire, but its impact on the community’s emergency readiness will become clear only after the October deadline.
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