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Massachusetts Chief Downplays Staffing After Fire
GEORGE BRENNAN
Cape Cod Times
SANDWICH — Two firefighters are recovering in separate hospitals from injuries suffered in a house fire Monday, Fire Chief George Russell said yesterday.
Related
Massachusetts Firefighters Injured in House Fire Blast
Daniel Keane, who suffered a broken neck and back, continues to be monitored closely by doctors for signs of paralysis, Russell said. "As far as I know, he's still moving his extremities," Russell said.
A hospital spokeswoman said Keane remains in stable condition at Cape Cod Hospital.
The second injured firefighter, Lee Burrill, underwent surgery in a Boston hospital to insert pins in his fractured ankle, Russell said.
The injuries to the firefighters, which were suffered as they responded to a house fire at 15 Open Trail Road, have hit the department hard, Russell said.
"It makes them stop and think," he said of the firefighters. "They're risking their lives. It's a serious and dangerous job. You never know."
The two men were injured as they entered the house to battle the blaze. An explosion sent them flying backward, breaking through deck railings. They landed 30 to 40 feet from the doorway, according to fire officials.
The two men were covering the Forestdale station because members of the fire department were out at other emergencies. Fire Capt. James Huska said Monday that department staffing played a role in the injuries and the house being a total loss. It took 15 minutes to call in mutual aid to rescue the two injured firefighters, he told the Times.
But Russell downplayed Huska's concerns yesterday. He said while the fire department could always use more staffing, a backdraft such as the one that occurred Monday could happen at any time.
"We're happy that they're not life-threatening injuries," he said.
But the fire does, once again, put the fire department's staffing in the spotlight. Two years ago, town meeting approved a petitioned article to spend $710,000 from the sale of property in town to staff and reopen the East Sandwich Fire Station because of concerns raised by the public about response times to emergencies.
But the board of selectmen, after learning that the town could not sustain the additional staffing into the following year's budget, never hired the eight additional firefighters. At the time they made their decision, selectmen said it would be irresponsible to spend money to train the firefighters only to lay them off the following year.
Town Manager George "Bud" Dunham said yesterday the East Sandwich Fire Station money was returned to town coffers and spent on other items, though he wasn't sure exactly where the money wound up. He said staffing continues to be an issue for the fire department, but the town doesn't have the money to increase staffing levels.
Cape Cod Times
SANDWICH — Two firefighters are recovering in separate hospitals from injuries suffered in a house fire Monday, Fire Chief George Russell said yesterday.
Related
Massachusetts Firefighters Injured in House Fire Blast
A hospital spokeswoman said Keane remains in stable condition at Cape Cod Hospital.
The second injured firefighter, Lee Burrill, underwent surgery in a Boston hospital to insert pins in his fractured ankle, Russell said.
The injuries to the firefighters, which were suffered as they responded to a house fire at 15 Open Trail Road, have hit the department hard, Russell said.
"It makes them stop and think," he said of the firefighters. "They're risking their lives. It's a serious and dangerous job. You never know."
The two men were injured as they entered the house to battle the blaze. An explosion sent them flying backward, breaking through deck railings. They landed 30 to 40 feet from the doorway, according to fire officials.
The two men were covering the Forestdale station because members of the fire department were out at other emergencies. Fire Capt. James Huska said Monday that department staffing played a role in the injuries and the house being a total loss. It took 15 minutes to call in mutual aid to rescue the two injured firefighters, he told the Times.
But Russell downplayed Huska's concerns yesterday. He said while the fire department could always use more staffing, a backdraft such as the one that occurred Monday could happen at any time.
"We're happy that they're not life-threatening injuries," he said.
But the fire does, once again, put the fire department's staffing in the spotlight. Two years ago, town meeting approved a petitioned article to spend $710,000 from the sale of property in town to staff and reopen the East Sandwich Fire Station because of concerns raised by the public about response times to emergencies.
But the board of selectmen, after learning that the town could not sustain the additional staffing into the following year's budget, never hired the eight additional firefighters. At the time they made their decision, selectmen said it would be irresponsible to spend money to train the firefighters only to lay them off the following year.
Town Manager George "Bud" Dunham said yesterday the East Sandwich Fire Station money was returned to town coffers and spent on other items, though he wasn't sure exactly where the money wound up. He said staffing continues to be an issue for the fire department, but the town doesn't have the money to increase staffing levels.
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by John Crabbe on
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Fire Capt. James Huska said Monday that department staffing played a role in the injuries and the house being a total loss. It took 15 minutes to call in mutual aid to rescue the two injured firefighters, he told the Times.
But Russell downplayed Huska's concerns yesterday. He said while the fire department could always use more staffing, a backdraft such as the one that occurred Monday could happen at any time.
Wow, is this guy serious? Yes, a backdraft could occur at any time, but taking 15 minutes for MA to arrive to attend to the downed FF's is BS. There should have been enough staffing at the initial onset of this call and should not be downplayed. What a piss poor excuse to dismiss adequate staffing.
Town Manager George "Bud" Dunham said yesterday the East Sandwich Fire Station money was returned to town coffers and spent on other items, though he wasn't sure exactly where the money wound up
My guess is for those ever more essential issues like flowers in the medians or new street signs and so forth.
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Permalink Reply by lutan1 on
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John, I was actually gonna argue youir point and state that we shouldn't confuse the treatment of their injuries wit hthe response of mutual aid departments, but then realised that in most cases for you guys, the FD is the medical response as well.
Makes me glad that our ambulance services are totally seperate agencies over here in Australia. For us, this would not be staffing issue with the FD- it's a response time issue from the medics. (Which mind you, is a very real concern with many responses).
Hope that all makes sense....
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Permalink Reply by Ben Waller on
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I don't think the mutual aid issue here was EMS - It sounds as if the mutual aid issue was the lack of immediately available RIT due to local FD staffing issues.
EMS isn't responsible for firefighter rescue.
I also noted the fire chief's comment "As far as I know, he's still moving his extremities," Russell said. If it were one of my firefighters, I wouldn't have to guess about the condition of one of my firefighters - I'd either damn wll KNOW, or I would make no comment. This type of uninformed speculation makes the chief look as if he doesn't know what's going on with a seriously-injured firefighter that is his responsibility.
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Permalink Reply by Irons38 on
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I also noted the fire chief's comment "As far as I know, he's still moving his extremities," Russell said. If it were one of my firefighters, I wouldn't have to guess about the condition of one of my firefighters - I'd either damn wll KNOW, or I would make no comment. This type of uninformed speculation makes the chief look as if he doesn't know what's going on with a seriously-injured firefighter that is his responsibility
Enough Said!!!! I wish our two brothers a fast recovery.
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