This is a super sore point with me- a former smoke-eater.
Everybody should know that an uncontrolled fire will double in size every 30 to 60 seconds.
Therefore if your property catches fire- you want it out as soon as possible and that's why fire stations are configured the way they are around any large town or city.
In Topeka and Springfield- fire stations are kept closed due to "staffing."
Topeka's Engine 3 located at that city's fire training facility on S.W. Jefferson seems that it's rarely in service anymore.
In Springfield- they can close up to 2 fire stations for lack of staffing rather than call in off-duty firefighters (overtime) to staff them.
These methods will work wonders with a municipal budget- until someone is seriously hurt and/or dies because the nearest firehouse was closed.
The ensuing lawsuit(s) will put a media-feeding-frenzy end to ANY municipal cost-savings- not to mention a few political careers.
__________
2 comments:
The reality is that building codes have changed to the point where the proliferation of fire stations and the swelling of fire fighter payrolls isn't necessary or even justified.
Modern buildings don't catch fire nearly as often, burn nearly as easily, and the damage to life and property is WAY less than in the past.
As the number of house fires has dropped, the number of fire fighters and fire stations has continued to grow and grow and grow.
It is for this reason that fire has taken to trying to run EMS in many communities -- justify their existence.
When you get 700 applications for a single job in the fire department, that tells me a few things -- one your wages are too high. Two, the work load too low.
Nobody is clamoring to dig sewers or be a power lineman. Those jobs pay just as well, but are even more dangerous and grueling.
I would like to see the facts that less fire stations = more fires. There's no data on that. Nor is there more data on deaths.
If fire stations prevented fires, the inner city of KCMO would be the safest place in the world dotted with stations as it is. But that's not the case.
I'm not picking on you, having been a fire fighter back in the days before people recognized the hazards from CO and cyanide, or any of the other 3000 deadly contents of smoke. Before the days when SCBAs were so widespread and people thought a leather helmet was all you needed to protect your head.
I have family that was career in the fire service. But those were the 50s, 60s and 70s. Times have changed and unfortunately this money is better spent elsewhere.
Firefighters have worked themselves out of a job with prevention, building codes, and mandatory sprinkler systems.
The days of the highly paid, lifetime pensioned employees (at all levels of government) needs to stop. We can't afford it.
"Modern buildings don't catch fire nearly as often, burn nearly as easily, and the damage to life and property is WAY less than in the past."
Modern COMMERCIAL buildings okay- but many non-commercial structures don't have many more safeguards against fire as do the tens of thousands of OLDER structures that still cover the landscape.
And those "modern" buildings STILL burn!
"It is for this reason that fire has taken to trying to run EMS in many communities -- justify their existence."
You say you have family that's been IN the fire service? Here in KC-MO since 1973- ALL firefighters have been cross-trained in emergency medicine.
Why?
The fire stations are usually LOTS closer to an incident than an ambulance.
I'm sure if you have a heart attack- or a fire- you want an added 5 minutes response time to get to you.
"Firefighters have worked themselves out of a job with prevention, building codes, and mandatory sprinkler systems."
Worked themselves out of jobs???
How about they've LESSENED THE WORK LOAD- saved you money in insurance premiums/claims- etc.- etc.- etc..
As stated in the original post- a fire DOUBLES in size every 30 to 60 seconds.
Do the math- what's an extra 5 minutes going to add to your fire or medical problem?
I'll answer for you: a MUCH bigger fire/loss and possible death.
Sure- we can cut emergency services to the barest of bones- which will be fine for your big savings of tax dollars until YOU need them and you have to wait...and wait...and wait....
-Groucho
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