IAFF Local 1596: Lawrence city management’s proposed cuts threaten citizen and firefighter safety (Column)

In the early morning of July 5, 2018, a fire started in the kitchen of a second floor apartment in Lawrence. Quickly, superheated gasses and smoke rose up a stairwell. 

When an upstairs neighbor opened his front door to investigate the odor, the smoke and heat rushed into his apartment, making the environment unlivable and causing his family to retreat to their balcony for survival. 

A Lawrence fire truck staffed with four firefighters arrived on scene within minutes. Two of the firefighters immediately raised a 35-foot, 129-pound extension ladder to the third-floor balcony the family was using for safe refuge. 

Simultaneously, the other two firefighters were able to pull a fire hose to the front of the structure while also performing reconnaissance for incoming fire engines. Because of these immediate interventions to two separate emergencies (search and rescue and fire attack), a four-person fire crew was able to quickly and efficiently save lives and property. 

This scenario, and ones like it, are not uncommon in the fire service. However, with Lawrence city management now recommending to staff each fire truck in the city with one fewer firefighter every day, the safety of the average citizen and the safety of first responders are now at risk.

The number of personnel on a fire truck directly impacts its operational effectiveness and safety outcomes. The success or failure of these scenarios relies greatly on the number of firefighters responding to it and how fast they get there. This discussion is not merely theoretical but is grounded in extensive research and recommendations from industry leaders like the National Fire Protection Association, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health and the Insurance Services Office. 

The NFPA sets standards that are widely adopted across the United States and internationally. According to NFPA 1710, which specifies the deployment of fire suppression resources for effective performance, a minimum of four personnel should be deployed on each engine company responding to structural firefighting incidents. This standard emphasizes that the fourth firefighter plays a critical role in enhancing both safety and operational efficiency. This standard also gives a recommended number of firefighters set to respond to a specific level of hazard. 

The particular incident detailed above would be classified as a medium level hazard incident, requiring 28 firefighters.

NIOSH conducts research to improve the health and safety of workers, including firefighters. Their studies have highlighted the risks associated with understaffed fire crews. According to NIOSH’s recommendations, a four-person crew allows for better situational awareness, communication, and operational efficiency, thereby reducing the likelihood of injuries or fatalities among citizens or firefighters. 

The ISO evaluates communities based on their fire protection capabilities, which include factors like staffing levels on fire apparatus. Fire departments that adhere to NFPA standards, including those related to crew size, often receive better ratings from ISO. These ratings are crucial as they can influence insurance premiums and overall community safety perceptions.

So now, imagine that on July 5, 2018, that first arriving fire engine responding to that family’s structure fire only had three people on it instead of four. Firefighters would have had to make difficult choices. 

Does the first arriving crew raise the 35-foot, 129-pound extension ladder to the third-floor balcony and let the building continue to burn — keep in mind that every minute a fire goes unchecked it doubles in size, increasing the likelihood of injury or even death to the other occupants of the building — or does the crew stretch the fire hose to the apartment where the fire originated, leaving the family trapped on the balcony susceptible to impending deadly smoke and fire? These are choices that no fire crew should be forced to make.

Broadly, if city management does decide to move forward with three-person fire apparatus, one of two things will occur. Either LDCFM will need to send more fire trucks to every fire to accommodate for the decreased staffing per truck, which will significantly impact the number of firefighters left over in the city to combat other emergencies. Or, LDCFM sends less firefighters to your emergency which will significantly impact operational efficiency and overall safety resulting in greater property loss, injury, or even death. 

Four person fire crews are recommended by firefighters and industry leaders alike. By adhering to these standards and investing in adequate staffing levels, communities can foster a safer environment for both firefighters and residents. The evolution toward four-person fire truck crews is not just a recommendation — it’s a commitment to excellence in fire protection and emergency response. Your Lawrence Professional Firefighters are committed to excellence and safety within your city, but Lawrence city management is not. Are you? 

Public safety should be a priority and funded appropriately in every instance, especially when one of Lawrence’s key metrics is “Safe and Secure.” Please contact your city commissioners and let them know that any reduction in public safety is unacceptable.

— Eric Lynch is a member of the executive board of IAFF Local 1596.

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