Post by Bob on Dec 13, 2005 0:00:58 GMT -5
Monday, December 12, 2005
Loss of fire unit would hurt downtown
Your voice: Richie Korn
As an 11-year veteran of the Cincinnati fire department (CFD), I believe it is a mistake to disband (permanently remove) Ladder 14 from its firehouse located in downtown Cincinnati at the corner of Fifth Street and Central Avenue, as is planned in January.
One of the reasons the city cites for taking this action is to free capital in order to expand CFD's training staff. The personnel would be moved out of the downtown area and reassigned as a training/heavy-rescue unit.
While it is important to boost CFD's training capabilities, this should not take priority over the safety of downtown's citizens and visitors.
CFD administration has stated that it would like to both keep Ladder 14 and add the new training unit, but current budget limitations will not allow that. The administration has also stated Ladder 14's "first-in" area does not contain a large life hazard, especially during evening hours. However, I believe this statement could not be further from the truth.
Ladder 14 is the first ladder truck in line to respond to an emergency at Paul Brown Stadium, the expanded convention center, nearly every downtown hotel and half of the high-rise downtown office buildings, as well as numerous condominiums, apartments and public housing high-rises. Ladder 14 would also be first to respond to the newly renovated Fountain Square and the proposed Banks project.
The first-in ladder truck's main priority is to locate and rescue potential victims during an emergency situation. If that truck is delayed (or removed, as is proposed), it adds precious minutes to the response time. These minutes could mean the difference between life and death.
A similar budget problem occurred in 2004 when the CFD began its practice of firehouse brownouts. This action endangered wide areas of the city for short periods of time. Ultimately, a public outcry for safety brought the brownouts to an end. Disbanding Truck 14 would endanger the lives of the people in downtown Cincinnati. In addition, the CFD has never put a truck back in service after it has been disbanded.
At a time when we are spending millions trying to revitalize the downtown area, does it make sense to put the people the city is asking to visit and live in downtown in greater danger?
Richie Korn of Price Hill has been a Cincinnati firefighter since 1994. His column does not represent the opinions of the CFD administration or Local 48
after seeing this editorial i wondered what everyone thinks and what other surprises are in store for the cfd in the near future
Loss of fire unit would hurt downtown
Your voice: Richie Korn
As an 11-year veteran of the Cincinnati fire department (CFD), I believe it is a mistake to disband (permanently remove) Ladder 14 from its firehouse located in downtown Cincinnati at the corner of Fifth Street and Central Avenue, as is planned in January.
One of the reasons the city cites for taking this action is to free capital in order to expand CFD's training staff. The personnel would be moved out of the downtown area and reassigned as a training/heavy-rescue unit.
While it is important to boost CFD's training capabilities, this should not take priority over the safety of downtown's citizens and visitors.
CFD administration has stated that it would like to both keep Ladder 14 and add the new training unit, but current budget limitations will not allow that. The administration has also stated Ladder 14's "first-in" area does not contain a large life hazard, especially during evening hours. However, I believe this statement could not be further from the truth.
Ladder 14 is the first ladder truck in line to respond to an emergency at Paul Brown Stadium, the expanded convention center, nearly every downtown hotel and half of the high-rise downtown office buildings, as well as numerous condominiums, apartments and public housing high-rises. Ladder 14 would also be first to respond to the newly renovated Fountain Square and the proposed Banks project.
The first-in ladder truck's main priority is to locate and rescue potential victims during an emergency situation. If that truck is delayed (or removed, as is proposed), it adds precious minutes to the response time. These minutes could mean the difference between life and death.
A similar budget problem occurred in 2004 when the CFD began its practice of firehouse brownouts. This action endangered wide areas of the city for short periods of time. Ultimately, a public outcry for safety brought the brownouts to an end. Disbanding Truck 14 would endanger the lives of the people in downtown Cincinnati. In addition, the CFD has never put a truck back in service after it has been disbanded.
At a time when we are spending millions trying to revitalize the downtown area, does it make sense to put the people the city is asking to visit and live in downtown in greater danger?
Richie Korn of Price Hill has been a Cincinnati firefighter since 1994. His column does not represent the opinions of the CFD administration or Local 48
after seeing this editorial i wondered what everyone thinks and what other surprises are in store for the cfd in the near future