Firefighters union raises staffing concerns following deadly fire
Firefighters union raises staffing concerns following deadly fire
AND A SPACE HEATER-- MIGHT BE TO BLAME.THE FIRE STARTEDHERE ON WINSLOWAVENUE -- NEARFILLMORE AND EASTFERRY.ALEXIS LIVED BYHIMSELNEIGHBORS TELL USHIS WIFE RECENTLYPASSED AWAY.HE ALSO LOST A SAND DAUGHTER.HIS DEATH... CAME ASA SHOCK TO FRIENDSAND FAMILY.HE LOVED LIFE, HE WASFUNNY, ENTERTAINING,I LOVED COMING OVERAND SEEING HEVERYDAY AFTERWORK, AND JUSTWATCHING TV WITHHIM, HANGING OWITH HIM, IT WAS JUSTFUN, HE WAS MORETHAN AN UNCLE, LIKE ABROTHER, JUST PLAYAROUND WITFIREFIGHTERS GOT TOTHE SCENE WITHINMINUTES.
BUT ASGILAT MELAMEDREPORTS... THEARE QUESTIONSTONIGHT OVERWHETHER STAFFINGCHANGES WITHIN THEFIRE DEPARTMENT...MADE IT HARDER FORTHEM TO DO THEIRJOBS."ANYTIME A COMPANYIS CLOSED IN THE CITY,THE CITIZENS ARE PUTAT A HIGHER RISK, THEFIREFIGHTERS ARE PUTAT A HEIGHTENED RISKAND WE JUST DON'TTHINK IT'SACCEPTABLE."TODAY THAT COMPANYWAS ENGINE 21--LOCATED ABOUT AMILE AWAY FROM THEWINSLOW AVENUEFIRE.IT WAS CLOSED DUETO DYNAMICSTAFFING.THAT'S THE TERM TODESCRIBE SHUTTINGDOWN ONE FIRECOMPANY-- WHEN ACERTAIN NUMBER OFFIREFIGHTERS IN THECITY CALL IN SICK."4 LESSFIREFIGHTERS, BUTONE LESS COMPANY"THERE'S A ROTATINGSCHEDULE THATDECIDES WHAT FIRCOMPANY CLOSESFOR THE SHIFT.THE POLICY HAS THEFIREFIGHTERS UNIONAND THE CITY ATODDS"DYNAMIC STAFFINGEFFECTS RESPONSETIMES, ABSOLUTELY.""DOES IT HAVE ANYEFFECT ON RESPONSETIMES.NO."BUFFALOFIREFIGHTERS UNIONPRESIDENT VINCENTVENTRESCA SAYSENGINE 21 WOULD'VEBEEN THE SECONDCREW TO ARRIVE.VENTRESCA IS NOTLINKING DYNAMICSTAFFING TO 84 YEAROLD CHARLES ALEXIS'DEATH, BUT SAYSENGINE 21 WOULD'VEBROUGHT NEEDEDWATER TO THE SCENEQUICKLY."IN THIS CASE THEYWENT IN AND DID ANAGRESSIVE SEARCHWITHOUT A HANDLINEAND THOSE EFFORSTWERE THWARTED BYTHE HEAT AND THEFIRE AND THEY WEREFORCED FROM THEBUILDING.
THAT'S WHATIT TOOK THEM TO STOPSEARCHING THE HEATAND THE FIRE."BUFFALO FIRECOMMISSIONERWILLIAM RENALDSAYS THE WATER LINEWAS NOT A PROBLEM."WE HAD OVER 5FIREFIGHTERSRESPOND TO THAT FIREWELL WITHIN THENATIONAL STANDARDSTIME LIMITTHE FIRST CREWARRIVED IN OMINUTE AND 43SECONDS.THE FIRST ENGINEWAS THERE IN UNDERFOUR MINUTES."IN A PERFECT WORLDWE'D HAVE A FIRESTATION AND POLICESTATIONUNFORTUANTELYMUNICIPALITY CANBUDGET FOR EVERYRISK SO LIKE I SAIDTHIS IS AN AGREEMETHAT WAS PUT INPLACE BACK IN 2015AND IT'S SOMETHINGTHAT WE'RE WORKINGTHROUGH RIGHT NOW."RENALDO SAYSDYNAMIC STAFFINGHAS BEEN USEDABOUT 135 TIMESSINCE JULY 1ST.MEANING THERE WASA CLOSED FIRECOMPANY ABOUT 65PERCENT OF THETI
