But department officials say they will likely need $50 million more to pay firefighters overtime through the end of the fiscal year, on June 30.

With that money, according to news reports, he paid firefighters to stop the fire and saved the well.

Fire protection services are provided by the Lake Johanna Fire Department, which consists of 70 paid on-call firefighters.

Paid metropolitan firefighters decompress without city governments sanctioning an environment conducive to a few cold ones at the firehouse after fires and rescues.

"Whatever we are paying out to cover debt is money we don't have to pay for teachers and police officers and firefighters," Mr. Hevesi said.

Modestly paid firefighters, municipal workers, nurses and other residents earn too much to qualify for subsidized housing but too little to qualify for mortgages.

"But we all have to pay cops, firefighters and teachers."

The fact is, New York City pays its police and firefighters fairly.

In recent weeks, the volunteers have filed their own lawsuit to clarify the roots of a six-year-old agreement moving full-time, paid firefighters into the Springdale house.

By 1872, the department consisted of three steamers, one hook and ladder, one chemical engine, and 36 paid professional firefighters.