Firefighters Union calls out department for transparency and lack of community involvement

Firefighters Union calls out department for transparency and lack of community involvement

THEIR CALL FOR MORE HELP.

THEUNION PRESIDENT SENT A LETTERTO THE FIRE CHIEF SAYING THECITY HNASOR INVOLVED THE COMMUNITINYTHEIR DECISIONS TO MOVE UNITSAROUND.

WMAR2 NEWSKADHIM IS DOWNTOWN ATBALTIMORE CITY FREIHEADQUARTERS& WTOF THE PROBLEM HERE?THIS COMES DOWN TO STAFFG,INOVERTIME AND MOST IMPORTANTLYREFIFIGHTERS' ABILITY TO KEEPPEOPLE SAFE.The Baltimore City Firedepartment found that thehighest volume for calls isbetween 9am to 9pm and so theycreated what are called“peakunit” WHICH INCLUDE FITRUCKS OR AMBULANCES.

Thevolume of service hasincreased every year for thelast 10 years.

FOUR OF THEpeak units ran About 37 callsa day FOR THE LAS THRTEEYEARS, BUT THEY COULD GETREPURPOSED Robert Paterson IIIBaltimore City FirefightersUnion Vice President 5:05:4-22“The city EMS Is very busy,and when you are looking atnational statistics is 60% weare 10% alrea adybove thenational standards as far asbusiness.

Now you are lookingat adding an additional 37calls per day.

How are wegoing to compensate that”Rich Langford, the UonniPresident has collectED dataon how this change will efctfethe department.

He sent aletter to fire Chief Fordsaying the decision to closeand relocate units does notcomply with city cdeorequiring a public hearing.

HEALSO SAID designating 4 peakunits to be run by peop olenovertime is not t rheightcall.

1:08-1:18“Suppressionunits are waiting on scene alot longer for a transportunit to come to pick patientsup to be able to get by themto the appropriate facilyitthey need to be at” 1:56-2:05“If no one signs up for themthey will be out of serviceand than they are going todisband four units currentlywith the proposal they stenout to us” A spokesperson forthe fire department sent us aresponse to the letter sayingthey anreor stations.

They SAYTYHE PLANIS TO reassign 2 peakambulance units to 24/7 shiftswhich increases the number of24/7 ambulances from 26 to8.

2THEY ALSO SAID“There will bemore oprtpounities to rendercare to our community antodensure shifts are covered &without a constant cl alformembers to voluntarily workovertime on the Ambulance PkUnits.

8:13-8:32“We are herefor the citizens of Baltimore.The end result is if asuppression unit is waiting onscene for a transport even ifitthereobviously that takes away omfrresponding to a fire.

Eervsecd oncounts for a fire”THE FIREFIGHTERS UNION HASALSO SENT OUT A MARYLANPUBLIC INFORMATION ACT REESQUFOR THE FACETS REPORTASSESSING THE DEPARTMENTSOPERATIONAL AND MANAGEMTENPRACTICES.

ON THURSDAY WMAR2NEWSTAKE A CLOSER LOOK AT STAFNGCONCERN AND MORE, AS SHE PUTSTHFIE RE DEPARTMENT ISSUES INFOCUS.*LIVE IN DOWNTOWNBALTIMORE EDDIE KADHIMMAR2 WNEWS.TWO TEENAGERS ARE FACINGCHARGES IN BALTIMORE'S 167THMURDER THIS YEAR.

POLIC