Ohio Local Fights for Faster, Better Fire Response

November 29, 2006 – In Kettering, Ohio, the future of fire response remains uncertain after three fatal fires killed four people within an 18-month timeframe. The city’s professional fire fighters work during the day, Monday through Friday, while volunteers work at night, on holidays and weekends. It was during the time designated for volunteer response that all three of these fatal fires occurred. 

Meanwhile, the Kettering City Council has hired Matrix Consulting to review the effectiveness of the city’s fire service. The report is expected to be complete by mid-February. 

“Since I became president of Local 2150 seven years ago, I have been fighting for around-the-clock professional fire fighter response,” says Joel Busch. “The citizens deserve the quickest, most effective response to their emergencies. As we have seen, delayed response to emergencies can have tragic results.” 

A television station in Kettering has conducted its own investigation into response times in the city and uncovered a significant difference between professional and volunteer fire fighter response. Click here to view the broadcast. 

“The bottom line is that when you call 9-1-1 in our city, response should occur within a four-minute timeframe,” says Busch. “Fire fighters must be able to respond from fire houses in key locations around the city to ensure the safety of both citizens and fire fighters.”

From IAFF web site, local section