On Wednesday, Hamilton fire union officials talked about Dave Krueger, a District 3 career firefighter, fell through a burning floor during a Wednesday blaze.
HAMILTON -- Much of the public discussion the past few months about fire district consolidation in Hamilton had focused on how duplicative it is to have nine fire districts with nine tax rates and 45 commissioners in charge.
On Thursday night, before Hamilton's township council, the unions started highlighting another reason they want to consolidate: safety.
And they literally pointed to Dave Krueger.
On Wednesday, Krueger, a District 3 career firefighter, fell through a burning floor during a 2-alarm blaze at a vacant home on South Clinton Avenue. He landed on the first floor.
On Thursday night, he sat in the council, his left shoulder in a sling.
Firefighters union vice president Shane Mull said when the "may day" call was made about an injured firefighter, an off-duty Hamilton fire captain in the area responded and assisted the fire chief on scene.
And Mull was later tasked with going to Krueger's house to pick up his wife and take her to the hospital - a task Mull said he never wants again.
"We don't want safety to be overlooked," Mull told the council. He said for years, Hamilton has been batting the consolidation issue around, with no real action.
"Under this current system, fire commissioners or firemen, can't make the claim that we are the safest," Mull said. "It's time for us as a township to move forward. We'll be safer and more efficient with consolidation."
MORE: Suspicious fire damages Hamilton home, injures firefighter
Later, council members thanked the firemen, and Krueger, for their service.
Krueger said he'll be fine, and only has a minor injury. Still, he said: "That was the scariest moment of my life."
In the update to council, fire officers union president Nick Buroczi said he and other union officials have been busy meeting with commissioners, volunteers and other groups involved in the fire service in the township.
The unions are also collecting petitions in District 3, the district they would like to see as the surviving fire district under their consolidation plan, the unions said Thursday.
Previously, the unions had said they were not collecting petitions in District 3, despite calls from the mayor and fire commissioners to do so.
The unions need signed petitions from 5 percent of a district's voters to bring the matter before council, and they said Thursday they are shooting for 10 percent in each district to be safe.
They petitioning is complete in all districts, except districts 1, 3 and 6, Buroczi said.
Next week, the unions have a meeting with Mayor Kelly Yaede, they said.
In late October, Yaede announced that the state Department of Community Affairs agreed to study the consolidation of Hamilton's nine fire districts at no cost to the township, a study she personally requested.
The unions have support from the council for their petitioning. Councilman Kevin Meara, who did not run for reelection, was the only person to give the firefighters blowback, saying he didn't see a "a big wave of people" coming to council demanding fire district consolidation.
He believes township residents need more education about the issue, and favors a referendum on the ballot would be a better approach.
RELATED: Hamilton firefighter unions tout plan for district consolidation
While Mull said he agrees there needs to be more education, and that most residents' experience with the fire department is when the dial 911. "They don't know a District 4 firetruck from District 9," he said.
But during petitioning, Mull said, residents asked a lot of questions and just because residents don't know a lot about firefighting or consolidation, so many issues, like firefighter safety, could be improved by consolidation, he said.
Councilman Dave Kenny and Dennis Pone came to the unions' defense, lauding their efforts.
"We don't necessarily need the public to come forward," Kenny said. "When we see a problem, we should take care of it. Now the unions are taking action, and I appreciate that."
Pone credited the unions with their action as well. "Nobody has actually taken the ball and run with it," he said to Mull and Buroczi.
Councilwoman Illeana Schirmer also commended the unions, and gave them advice: "Keep politicians out of it. Don't invite them to a photo op. In the public eye, it's a negative," she said.
When the unions announced their plan publicly in early October, they did so with several local and state Democrats in attendance. Schirmer is a Republican.
Kevin Shea may be reached at kshea@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter@kevintshea. Find The Times of Trenton on Facebook.
