Station Closing Rotations

[yfdgricker]

The YFD has come up with a station closing scheme during the cities latest financial crisis.

The department will be closing 2 of their 8 active for a period of time.

Rumors have said that the stations could close for a week and then rotate. Other sources have said 3 weeks. One said a month at a time.

The station closures will include one station north of the river and one station south of the river.

[daysleeper47]

According to a firefighter at Station 2, Engines 9 and 12 will close first for 3 weeks at a time. My opinion is to close Engines 9 and 7, 12 and 15, and 3 and 6. That leaves most second and third due companies covered. (Ex: Engine 7 would only lose one of its backup, insted of two, if, for example, Engines 12 and 3 closed at the same time, at which point it would lose its second and third due.)

[yfd4]

i would like to propose the following plan for consideration instead of the one pending as to reduction in apparatus responses.

discontinue ladder 24 permanently

replace the new 2002 contender at engine 2 with the 1989 telesqurt at engine 3

permanently close station 9

organize a new unit at south ave and boston as engine 4 and have the front door raised to fit the 1987 dash pumper current engine 9 and move the arson division to station 7

close station 7 permanently when the new squad is in service  at station 1 in sept or sooner

it will operate first due downtown and in 7s former district and will PUMP

send the 2002 contender from engine 2 to station 3

send the 2002 contender from station 7 to station 12

send the saber from station 12 to station 1 as a backup unit for recall staffing

leave 24s rig at station 2 for recall staffing

complete the roation of apparatus

eng 3 saber to eng 6

eng 6 dash to eng 15

[SixbyFire]

Since both ladders are actually quints, can't they disband the companies co-located with the ladders, i.e. Engine 2 and Squad 33, and move the manpower from those companies to keep all the current stations open?

Since Squad 33 would be one of those disbanded perhaps they could move some rescue equipment (jaws and such) to Ladder 22 and run the squad rig as a second piece of the ladder if needed.

Just some more ideas...

Jeff Christner

P.S. Oops, just noticed that Ladder 24 does not qualify as a true quint because it only has a 200 gallon booster tank according to the YFD web site. Still it could get the job done.

[Box 2565]

I would imagine that the rotation is being used so that the stations will be able to stay open if the budget issue is resolved quickly.

If one station is closed permanently it will probably be next to impossible to reopen the firehouse even if the financial situation clears up.  Hopefully Youngstown will pull through on this and get their firefighters back.

[yfd4]

i stand by my proposal with all due respect as to permanent closing of facilities. the no 9 station at midlothian and sheridan is a 1921 building that is an abomination and should forever close. it is not strategically located nor has it ever been. the station at south av and boston now used by arson is a better building and better location and with some minor modifications to the door can at least accomodate a 1987 dash pumper as was done to the twin station no 15 a while ago.
the no 7 station is a 1904 facility and should close as an active location and become an arson building only. with a huge new class a rescue pumper coming to downtown located only .7 mile from the no 7 station no serious loss of response time will happen. also there are stations 3,6 and 12 that can cover the no 7s territory.
when economies permit the ladder 24 could be reinstated  and instead of reinstating another pumper somewhere in lieu if no 7 a third ladder located at the west side station would be more advantageous and more in harmony with ISO guidelines.

[daysleeper47]

Folks, last night was a case-in-point of why YFD fire companies should not close. At approxiametly 1:30 a.m., ALL YFD fire companies were operating at two different structure fires. If we take away two companies, that gives the second fire ONLY two engines and a ladder. No squad, no chiefs. From what I have heard, today is the last day (or maybe it was yesterday) for Engines 12 and 9. Everyone here is losing. Citizens and firefighters alike. How long will it take for the city administration to realize what a big mistake they are making? Will it take the death of a firefighter, police officer, or citizen due to poor response or manpower before they do something? I encourage everyone to do what they can to help resolve this very dangerous issue. Currently, a petition is going around by YFD firefighters, who may live in your neighborhood, or be at your workplace. If you live in the city, I encourage you to sign. We need this terrible McKelvey administration to take notice of the problems they have created. We had over a million dollar surplus in this town just a few years ago. McKelvey did nothing to make sure it stayed that way. Take a stand. Sign the petition. Call your councilman (who, btw, has his wife as an assistant making $25,000 a year, which could keep 8 firefighters on the job and a station open). There is a terrible problem in this city and until people speak out, nothing will happen. (*Joe steps off of his soapbox*)

[Box 2565]

Since the closed stations have been reopened, have their been any instances of all YFD units being out on a run at the same time?
 :shock:

[yfdgricker]

Not to my knowledge. There have been a couple of close calls where there have been 3 structure fire calls in 20 minutes but the department juggled and diverted trucks from one call to another after it was determined that there was no working fire at that location.