whitej0606

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    Danbury Professional Fire Fighters Call Closing Engine 21 Unsafe

    December 7, 2011–Danbury’s Fire Chief announced that he is taking one of the City’s most used fire engines out of service daily between 7:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., and using a SUV in its place. This decision has Danbury Professional Fire Fighters concerned that public safety is at unnecessary risk.

    Danbury Fire Chief Geoffrey Herald claims the closure is a crucial cost-saving measure, but does not have any data to support that claim.

    “Danbury’s professional fire fighters take pride in ensuring the safety of our citizens, but there are certain tools we need to do the job safely and effectively,” says Danbury Professional Fire Fighters Local 801 President Louis DeMici. “This includes all of our fire engines. We are asking citizens to tell the mayor and their City council members to put Engine 21 back in service 24 hours a day.”

    During daytime hours, Engine 21 is replaced with a SUV that is not equipped with water and other essential tools needed for fire suppression and other emergencies. The vehicle can only transport personnel.

    The unit serves the downtown area south of West Street to the Bethel Town line and the Long Ridge Road area, where the reduction in resources could be a big problem. The coverage area has several pockets of densely-populated neighborhoods, apartment buildings and schools.

    “Engine 21 will be closed during school hours,” says DeMici. “We have to be ready when those emergencies do occur. The larger the building, the more equipment we need.”

    The Danbury Professional Fire Fighters are an affiliate of the International Association of Fire Fighters and the Uniformed Professional Fire Fighters Association of Connecticut.