Elimination of tower fire truck on regular basis puts Ann Arbor community at risk
As the president of the Ann Arbor Firefighters, I am writing this missive on behalf of our members to share our concerns regarding the city of Ann Arbor’s decision to shut down the city’s tower truck in the face of city budget cuts.
This truck company, operating out of the downtown station, now sits idle on most days. It is an advanced piece of equipment that is used to fight fires and rescue individuals safely and efficiently in a timely manner.
Matt Schroeder: President of Ann Arbor firefighters local union.
Without the tower in service, Ann Arbor firefighters are unable to provide for citizen safety in a manner in which our community has come to expect. City officials have chosen to compromise our ability to act when the tower is desperately needed to save lives, and protect our own during an emergency.
While it is still possible to access the tower in the event of a crisis, firefighters must undergo specialized training to operate this truck. And the time it takes a certified firefighter and his company to journey to the tower station, activate the truck, and drive it to the scene of a fire can last nearly 30 minutes or more -- a lifetime when a fire is consuming a structure and taking lives.
Mutual aid from surrounding departments that have a tower truck do not place the apparatus on scene in time for initial actions making it a less viable option with similar time delays.
The loss of the tower and another fire company in the downtown area severely hampers our ability to act in a manner consistent with accepted practices and national standards.
The loss of this company turns the Ann Arbor Fire Department into a purely defensive department because of the time elements it takes to put the tower into service when it is not staffed properly.
When city residents pay higher taxes than surrounding communities, they rightly should expect the best public services money can buy. The uniqueness of the tower and its ability to save lives is a level of excellence the city of Ann Arbor routinely demands.
We are calling on members of the City Council and the Ann Arbor mayor to reconsider their decision to close the tower station. While Ann Arbor firefighters clearly understand that our challenging and fragile economy makes budgetary decisions difficult, those decisions should never come at the expense of public safety within our community.
We are always willing to work within the confines of the city’s expenses to find efficiencies in our departmental operations, but the decision to close the tower truck represents a fundamental risk to the citizens of Ann Arbor. Our city deserves nothing less than the best fire coverage we as a department can provide; that fire coverage only remains superior if the tower remains in full-time operation.
Matt Schroeder is president of the Ann Arbor Firefighters Local 693, the union representing the city’s firefighters.
Comments
firec
Tue, Aug 23, 2011 : 11:13 p.m.
The City of Ann Arbor is a unique community that presents many high-rise structural challenges. It is crucial to get the apparatus there "in minutes" during a fire situation. This is due to placement challenges on the fireground (i.e. accessibility to buildings, water supply, aboveground rescue facilitation, etc.). Arriving on the scene as an "after-the-fact" does not work due to the equipment's need to be placed at a safe and effective vantagepoint in order to necessitate rescue or fire suppression operations. Mutual aid is a great asset for any department but the surrounding communities have an obligation to protect their respective communities first. Their aerial apparatus availability may also be hampered especially if there is an incident going on in their respective jurisdiction. When this happens, the request and the delay in response does place those involved (responders and occupants) at a risk that would be considered unacceptable. This type of scenario has occurred with the mutual aid concept in several communities here in the United States. The City should look at re-examining this decision since this piece of equipment is vital to the success of any fire suppression operation, especially in a community that presents high-rise challenges. Confining and extinguishing fires in a quick, safe, and effective manner enhances the life safety for those affected, citizens and firefighters alike. Having a fully staffed piece of equipment, such as this, is crucial in this case.
Mick52
Mon, Aug 22, 2011 : 7:40 p.m.
Matt, I have posted for a long time that AAFD and AAPD are outstanding agencies, better than most in Michigan, but you are going to lose support with articles like this. I am not sure what some of your statements means: "city of Ann Arbor's decision to shut down the city's tower truck in the face of city budget cuts." How do you shut down a truck? I think you should explain what that means. "This truck company, operating out of the downtown station, now sits idle on most days." Okay now it is a "company" that "sits idle on most days." That does not sound like it is "shut down." Again, some definition would help understand what exactly the problem is here. If it is not idle on all days, that sounds like it is in use. If it is not idle all the time how can it not be in use? "While it is still possible to access the tower in the event of a crisis, firefighters must undergo specialized training to operate this truck. " Okay, is this a problem? Were all those trained FFs laid off? If it is still possible to access it if needed how can it be "shut down?" "And the time it takes a certified firefighter and his company to journey to the tower station, activate the truck, and drive it to the scene of a fire can last nearly 30 minutes or more." I thought it was at the downtown station. Isn't there FFs there who can drive it and use it from where its parked? Why would it take 30 minutes to put it in use? Does it have to warm up for a few minutes until you can use it? What does this mean? When you get a fire call from an address, I am confident you guys know how tall that building is. But you make it sound like you have to go check and go back when you find out its over six stories to get this truck. If you could explain this maybe the problem would be easier to understand. Just can't figure out what the problem is.
jns131
Mon, Aug 22, 2011 : 2:15 p.m.
Every time I drive or anyone drives in that area it is like taking your life in your hands. I am not sure why, maybe the highway was built on ancient burial ground or something, but there always seems to be a major accident if not life threatening to all who are involved. Glad to hear everyone walked. The last one? I think one did not. Good news this time.
Carole
Mon, Aug 22, 2011 : 12:45 p.m.
Once again the city fathers show complete lack of interest in the safety of the citizens of Ann Arbor. I've thought it, but have never spoken it yet, but will now, what will it take to make them realize the importance of a well-staffed fire department -- the loss of live, well we have had that already. City leaders get real and quit messing with the safety of our town.
jns131
Mon, Aug 22, 2011 : 2:18 p.m.
This had nothing to do with Ann Arbors city fathers. There is a fire department in that area and it takes time to get them out there. It is the people on the highway that are the first responders and I am glad they are there to keep things under control. We saw a major accident and became traffic controllers until they got things under control. It takes a village to keep things in perspective.
CityFF
Mon, Aug 22, 2011 : 11:12 a.m.
With Tower 1 closed there is only one truck in the city with a ladder capable of reaching a third story window. That truck is on the Northside of town. So anyone that needs to be rescued from a 3rd story or higher window will have to wait for the truck from Plymouth rd. Anyone downtown or further south may want to invest in a rescue ladder. That's what you get for your tax money in this town. The AA tax payers have lost alot in public safety but still are paying the same taxes.
Mick52
Mon, Aug 22, 2011 : 7:42 p.m.
Do you know why that truck is on the northside? Which station, No 5? I wonder why it would be there and not downtown where there are far more multi-story buildings.
a2citizen
Sun, Aug 21, 2011 : 8:25 p.m.
How many buildings in Ann Arbor are six stories?
Macabre Sunset
Sun, Aug 21, 2011 : 8:12 p.m.
Sometimes, the union's constant demands for higher pay and benefits, even when people in the private sector have to make due with pay and benefit cuts, comes at a price. This is one of those costs. You have the power, Matt, to take part in making this difficult choice. What you don't have is the power to both bake this cake AND eat it.
clownfish
Mon, Aug 22, 2011 : 1:19 p.m.
Depends on who you are talking about in "the private sector". Many are doing better now than they did a few years ago. They are just not passing it along, or "trickling it down". Lots of unions have taken cuts, or pass alongs or unpaid days or forced leave. Coming here constantly claiming that unions refuse to negotiate does not make it true. For example: UAW has renegotiated their pay structure and assumed health care for their members. Bus drivers took a cut in Ypsi. State unions workers have had unpaid days off forced upon them. Firefighters took a pay cut and agreed to pay more for insurance. Facts matter.
Carole
Mon, Aug 22, 2011 : 12:44 p.m.
A2citizen -- the firefighters do a great deal of training hours, and attend classes and firefighters schools --- my best friends son just finished 2 yrs. training. Added, to that I wonder if you would be willing to enter a burning building in search of individuals -- these men and women put their lives on the line every time they respond to a fire because you "just don't know" what you will run into.
a2citizen
Sun, Aug 21, 2011 : 10:28 p.m.
ToddGack, "...since they are paid less than a person with the same educational background and experience than someone in the private sector..." Do you work in the nonunion, private sector? The private sector has been taking paycuts for the last several years. I know from personal experience. I'm not sure of all the requirements to become a fireperson, but I don't believe having a college degree is not one of them. It is not a reasonable comparison to say: "... same educational background and experience than someone in the private sector..."
ToddGack
Sun, Aug 21, 2011 : 8:50 p.m.
From my understanding the union has not asked for higher pay and did take a pay cut. They also put more of their own money into their pension. Maybe the FD should be paid comparable to the private sector in which they would be entitled to a raise since they are paid less than a person with the same educational background and experience than someone in the private sector. I am sure they would appreciate the raise. First and foremost, the city admits they have they have the money, they though wish to spend it on other things that city councils vision for Ann Arbor is.
snapshot
Sun, Aug 21, 2011 : 3 p.m.
Mr. Schroeder continues to focus attention on public saftey and how necessary cost reduction efforts can affect the citizens of Ann Arbor. He states that, "firefighter's clearly understand that our challenging and fragile economy makes budgetary decisions difficult, those decisions should never come at the expense of public safety wihin our community". The firefighter union made some minor concessions and then absolutely refused to negotiate further reductions to keep more firefighters and equipment on the front lines of public safety. That decision, it seems to me, was made "at the expense of public safety". Mr. Mathews union credibility also suffers with me when they chose to keep an unsafe, unlicensed driver who was involved in an accident while on duty driving a firetruck without a license, and had multiple past driving violations. For Mr. Mathews to now expound upon "public safety" in lieu of the hardcore "protect union members at all costs" attitude they have exhibited does not advance their cause or concern for public safety for the citizens of Ann Arbor in my opinion. In addition, Mr. Mathews never seems to address his unions position and how that position forced the hand of government to make the necessary and "difficult budget decisions". The fact that there are limited funds avalable without further taxing the citizens Ann Arbor continues to be ignored by Mr. Mathews and the union members he leads.
snapshot
Mon, Aug 22, 2011 : 11:43 p.m.
Sorry, Mr. "Mathews" should read "Schroeder", my bad. And we all know how tough it is to terminate a union member, particularly a "public" union member who is already protected by more comprehensive labor laws than the private sector. Government management knows that they may have to hire an attorney to defend themselves in a personal lawsuit brought forth and paid for by the collective union. That's why it's easier to do a retirement buyout, transfer, or even a promotion to get rid of undesireable employees in government employment, especially when further protected by unions. It makes for an incompetant government workforce with no accountability. Just look at the lack of regulation intervention that could have prevented the BP oil spill, investment banking failures, Katrina failures (check out law enforcement behavior for NOPD), Real Estate Collapse (yes, government regulators failed here too) any questions?
CityFF
Mon, Aug 22, 2011 : 2:58 p.m.
Why would you blame/accuse "Mr. Matthews" of permitting and unlicensed driver to drive. I am pretty sure that it's that persons job and the chiefs job to make sure everyone has the proper licenses to drive. The union president has nothing to do with who drives and who doesn't. That blame falls on the Chief of the Department. Nice try though. It's easy to blame the unions for everything isn't it.
Carole
Mon, Aug 22, 2011 : 12:40 p.m.
The firefights have taken concessions and the department has been reduced to a staff that has, I believe, lower the safety rating of the city, which will increase the amount of home insurance you purchase. If the city can afford to pay for private phones for employees, $30,000 for the administrator to move from UP to AA, they can afford to keep our AAFD and AAPD staff at a safe level.
steve h
Sun, Aug 21, 2011 : 4:22 p.m.
who is mr matthews?
Stephen Lange Ranzini
Sun, Aug 21, 2011 : 2:42 p.m.
I am a downtown resident who lives in a 10 story building with a family (we have two very small children). I very much appreciate the fire chiefs and fire department leaders who have been speaking out about the unsafe fire safety conditions that our city leaders are allowing to exist which threaten our safety in the event of a fire breaking out in a tall building in the downtown core. Response time is everything to ensure a small fire doesn't engulf an entire building. We need to properly fund fire safety and police safety. Ann Arbor has $250 million in cash lying around. The problem s that this money is trapped in dedicated separate accounts and can't be moved as needed when circumstances and priorities change. Our city leaders need to come up with a strategy to fix this problem and drain the buckets!
Stephen Lange Ranzini
Mon, Aug 22, 2011 : 4:49 p.m.
@Carole: By my count there are a total of 58 different funds in the city of Ann Arbor financial structure. You can see them, and learn more about them, by reading the annual audited financial statement of the city (called a CAFR), available here <a href="http://www.a2gov.org/government/financeadminservices/accounting/Pages/Home.aspx" rel='nofollow'>www.a2gov.org/government/financeadminservices/accounting/Pages/Home.aspx</a> The June 30, 2010 one is the latest available. For the major funds and enterprise funds, they are each listed on pages 24 to 28 and 30 to 32. For the smaller funds (buckets), they are called "Nonmajor Governmental Funds", they are each listed on pages 96 to 101 and for the internal accounts, they are each listed on pages 114 and 115. Also, note on page 81 the entire list of "externally restricted net assets" which is about $68.7 million. Apparently (at least according to the external auditor) these are the funds restricted by millage language, and all the rest are restricted into the buckets by a policy of city council (which of course could be changed).
Carole
Mon, Aug 22, 2011 : 12:38 p.m.
The funds most likely could be reassigned to other uses if the council so decided to do so -- like the art fund, they voted it is, they can vote it out. Basically, I would like to see a list of the various pots of funds and what they support.
Goober
Sun, Aug 21, 2011 : 1:59 p.m.
If this piece of equipment is the best technology for fighting fires, then move it to another station. The issue and concern raised is now easily resolved.
MB111
Sun, Aug 21, 2011 : 1:32 p.m.
Why invest in public safety when we don't have enough public art or perpetrator art at the $463/ft City Hall addition? Obviously safety is not a concern at City Hall.
Huron74
Sun, Aug 21, 2011 : 3:37 p.m.
Obviously not when the mayor and council doing all this have been elected and re-elected multiple times each. Just sayin'.
True Facts
Sun, Aug 21, 2011 : 12:54 p.m.
Silly Sally, First Congrades on learning to drive a stick thats a big accomplishment. With my understanding from talking to a pittsfield firefighter at a open house. I asked why they ran such a big truck (Tower Truck) to all the calls? And the answer was it needs to be there as one of the first trucks for placement for rescue. Because if it came later after all the other trucks, Ambulances, police cars it would be to far away. Makes sence to me. Nowhere is it a comparison to a swat team something Ann Arbor doesnt have and that is taken away.
1bit
Sun, Aug 21, 2011 : 12:49 p.m.
I guess if you work above the 6th story in a building in A2, you better have a good escape plan or a parachute!
ZooWolverine
Mon, Aug 22, 2011 : 4:04 p.m.
Not exactly business as usual above the 9th. If you're on the 10th floor, being able to make it down one floor may be very different from needing to make it down four floors.
1bit
Sun, Aug 21, 2011 : 4:04 p.m.
You are absolutely correct, I didn't think it through enough. Only those three floors would be affected. I wonder how many buildings would be affected. I wonder if the owners of those buildings would be interested in footing the bill for the truck company.
Craig Lounsbury
Sun, Aug 21, 2011 : 12:53 p.m.
It seems those impacted most directly would be those on the 7,8,9 floors. From the 10th floor up and the 6th floor down its business as usual with respect to a ladder rescue if I read the story correctly.
Silly Sally
Sun, Aug 21, 2011 : 12:18 p.m.
Interesting op-ed. But what is not clear is why the truck is not readily available. He says, "time elements it takes to put the tower into service when it is not staffed properly." Our family has several vehicles. If I need to go on a trip, I take the Ford Fusion. If I need to move something, I take the truck. Each vehicle is readily available and I can decide on the spur-of-the-moment. Why can't the firemen in the downtown station be certified to take any vehicle needed for each fire or medical response? I learned to drive a stick shift so I can take the truck. I use the car for its ease of parking and gas mileage. It is almost as if this op-ed is saying that a crew needs to be tied to each vehicle, even if some are rarely used. I learned to drive a stick shift, a multitude of firemen can learn to drive and use the ladder truck.
Silly Sally
Tue, Aug 23, 2011 : 12:08 p.m.
Some of you are saying that those capable of driving and operating the ladder truck and unable to drive or operate anything smaller. Since they most likely drive their personal car to the station, I'm sure that these firefighters can operate something a bit smaller than the ladder truck. The firefighters can decide on which truck to take dependent upon the need (or fire). The city cannot afford to have a crew sitting around for months, never using the ladder truck, just for a few high rises. Just as workers in successful businesses are cross trained, so should firefighters. Do these high rise owners pay an extra tax to support this special need? No. The city needs to save, and the crews that operate this ladder truck can respond to other fires most of the time and drive the ladder truck when necessary.
Carole
Mon, Aug 22, 2011 : 12:36 p.m.
Have you ever driven or operating a fire truck -- they are quite unique. Glad you can drive a diversity of smaller cars.
Craig Lounsbury
Sun, Aug 21, 2011 : 5:46 p.m.
I think Silly sally raises a fair question....how complicated is it to be cross trained on two trucks? With all due respect to nephilum's medical analogies I would suggest its more akin to a piolet qualified to fly more than one kind of plane, something very common, or dare i suggest a race car driver who drives both open wheel and NASCAR.
Stephen Lange Ranzini
Sun, Aug 21, 2011 : 3 p.m.
@Silly Sally: It's all about response times. Each minutes after four minutes when a fire is burning without active fire suppression occurring, it doubles in size. A swat team can take it's time to assemble and plan the correct strategy- fire fighting is a race against the clock!
Nephilim
Sun, Aug 21, 2011 : 2:24 p.m.
Do you want your obgyn doctor doing heart surgery on you? How about your podiatrist working on your brain? Did you ever actually go and look at this truck on one of the many open houses they've had? It gets difficult being cross trained on everything. Great reference though, your ford fusion to a fire truck with a 90 foot tower on it. Nice.
DonBee
Sun, Aug 21, 2011 : 12:04 p.m.
I suspect that truck was the least used of the trucks. The article indicates that it sits unstaffed in the fire station, so it is not being "thrown away" only left without a full time crew. I suspect if needed, the fire department could shift crews or call in off duty fire fighters. I suspect the result of leaving the truck without a full time staff is a few minutes later response from that truck and faster responses from more commonly used vehicles. I look forward to someone confirming or disproving my assertions.
Carole
Mon, Aug 22, 2011 : 12:34 p.m.
It is all about response time and having the crew ready to fight the fire. Maybe, the truck is not used as often as some of the others, but if you were on the 11th floor of a burning building, I suspect you would want the tower ready and available with the proper crew to pick you off the floor.
DonBee
Sun, Aug 21, 2011 : 5:50 p.m.
Mr. Ranzini - I understand that, but I would suspect that the fire department knows the addresses of the tall buildings and could prioritize which engines to roll first. I know if I was in that situation I would. In Superior Township, they both prioritize trucks and roll with less than a full crew when they need to and have the volunteers pick up the slack on site. I am not suggesting that Ann Arbor have volunteer fire fighters, but if you roll folks out of bed, they can join on site if you plan right.
Stephen Lange Ranzini
Sun, Aug 21, 2011 : 5:08 p.m.
@DonBee: It's all about response times. Each minute after four minutes when a fire is burning without active fire suppression occurring, it doubles in size. The time it takes to retrieve the tower truck could mean that a small fire totally engulfs a tall building downtown - fire fighting is a race against the clock!
Craig Lounsbury
Sun, Aug 21, 2011 : 11:53 a.m.
"We are calling on members of the City Council and the Ann Arbor mayor to reconsider their decision to close the tower station." The city council voted on this? Does anyone know when the vote occurred and what the results of the vote were?
Alan Goldsmith
Sun, Aug 21, 2011 : 11:47 a.m.
"When city residents pay higher taxes than surrounding communities, they rightly should expect the best public services money can buy." No we Ann Arbor taxpayers don't care about public services. We want giant million dollar water fountains so the Mayor's political supporters can feel good about themselves. Closing the tower station is going to directly impact public safety. But apparently the Mayor is comfortable about that too, and it's not one of his priorities.
Bertha Venation
Mon, Aug 22, 2011 : 3:34 p.m.
You've got that right, Alan! As long as it looks, pretty, King John is happy, and the common folk may continue to pay for HIS wishes.
True Facts
Sun, Aug 21, 2011 : 11:01 a.m.
Maybe the city should take the guns away from the police, That will save some money.. Makes as much sence as taking away a tower truck in a city like Ann Arbor
Silly Sally
Sun, Aug 21, 2011 : 12:23 p.m.
The trucks were not taken away, it is still available to use. A better analogy is if Ann Arbor had a SWAT team that sat in the police station waiting for a call instead of the team members having other duties and were available to respond to a SWAT call on a pager, shifting from traffic enforcement to the SWAT call.