After three years of work, fire departments in Brown County are closer to working together.  The plan would allow firefighters to cross community boundaries which would reduce response time and save lives.  Howard Fire Chief Ed Janke is on board. "Quicker resources on the scene means the firefighters will be safer, we'll have the adequate resources that we need."

The departments have long-used mutual aid, helping out each other at the big fires, but this agreement makes it legal. Departments can standardize training, they can buy fire trucks together, and even share employees. Green Bay Chief Jeff Roemer tells NBC26 the agreement cuts through the red tape of separate departments. "We're doing this already, but we didn't have the protection and authority to do those things and this will give us that authority."

Paul Jadin says the Green Bay Chamber of Commerce supports the consolidation plan.  Jadin tells us it will help Brown County firefighters share resources. "That obviously is one of our ultimate objectives, is that we get to where these departments are actually communicating with each other and coordinating where they put their houses and ladder teams and so forth."[Length:0.14]

The future of the agreement is in the hands of the local authorities. Bellevue is not wasting any time, they are scheduled to talk about it at their next meeting.