Volunteer fire companies in Erie County should examine ways to consolidate, recommends a study released today.

"No one has any desire to place property or lives at risk," says the report completed by County Comptroller Mark C. Poloncarz's auditors. "Taxpayers deserve nothing less than the maximum value for their public service dollar. A thoughtful, considered analysis can potentially yield considerable savings."

Some towns are congested with departments. Amherst has 10, the report said. So does Cheektowaga.

Poloncarz suggested that county government, which provides training opportunities for firefighters and coordinates emergency services, apply for a grant to finance a consolidation study.

Erie County's taxpayers provide some $130 million a year to support 98 fire companies, the study said.

Most of that $130 million goes to support the Buffalo Fire Department, the report said. However, $46.5 million goes to Erie County's volunteer fire companies, largely to support their equipment because their ranks are unpaid.

"Fewer districts, covering a larger area, would use less very-expensive equipment more effectively," the report said, but added, "it is difficult to quantify how much could be saved. Such a figure depends heavily on the number of (and which) districts would be consolidated."

Volunteer fire companies often draw contracts with town governments for fire protection, and the town governments then raise the money to pay for the service through property taxes.

Like Poloncarz did today, New York's commission on government consolidation, named for former Lt. Gov. Stan Lundine, questioned the number of fire districts in the state and suggested a study to whittle the number down.

However, after the State Legislature approved a law to make it easier to consolidate local governments and special taxing districts, a bill was introduced to protect New York's fire districts from consolidation. That bill has yet to become law.