BUFFALO (wned) - Erie County has nearly 100 paid and volunteer fire companies. These companies serve 115 fire districts throughout the county. The cost of all this fire protection is $130 million annually.

Comptroller Mark Poloncarz offered those numbers Wednesday in a lengthy report issued by his office Wednesday.

"We're basically relying on a system which was created in the horse and buggy days," said Poloncarz in describing the current fire protection system.

"There are possibilities for consolidation, there's no doubt about that."

County Executive Chris Collins is reportedly preparing a letter to local fire chiefs which will refute the Comptroller's consolidation call.

The County Comptroller told reporters Wednesday it's not his decision to make, but he added it is an issue that needs further study.

According to Poloncarz, some firehouses "were put in particular places just because of a manufacturer which may no longer exist today," and at a time when Buffalo's population flirted with 600,000.

Poloncarz emphasized the report issued by his office does not critique the fire protection provided, rather, he said, the report focuses on the cost of this protection.

"Some communities were overserved, and in other communities, they are not properly served," said Poloncarz.

Copyright 2010 WNED