Save Baltimore's Fire Companies

There are several different types of fire companies within the Baltimore City Fire Department. These companies are stationed throughout the city. A "Truck Company" carries multiple ladders, axes, hooks, and other special tools. Truck Companies are responsible for search and rescue of trapped civilians in fires. In addition to those duties, they are also equipped with hydraulic rescue tools such as the “Jaws of Life” which assist in extricating victims from serious auto accidents. An "Engine Company" carries a variety of hoses and is responsible for providing water to extinguish the fire. The types of fires that engine companies extinguish range from dumpster fires to dwelling fires. A "Rescue Company" provides expert rescue knowledge as well as a vast array of tools. The Rescue Company responds to fires and any emergency where someone is “trapped”. Examples of their responses are building collapses, water rescues in the Inner Harbor, and major auto accidents on city streets or Interstate 95. A "Medic Unit" is an ambulance that carries Advanced Life Support equipment. Baltimore City’s already over-taxed medic units handle thousands of medical calls within the city limits each year.

On 12/17/09 The Mayor and Chief have to decided to suspend the permenant closings of 2 Truck Companies and 1 Engine Company, until atleast the end of the fiscal year. The City has decided though to continue with rotating closures. On a daily basis 4 or 5 fire companies throughout the City are CLOSED for 24 hrs!

We need your help to stop rotating closures of fire companies. If you live in the City of Baltimore, PLEASE contact Mayor Dixon's Office @ 410-396-3835, and voice your concerns about the closing's of firehouses.

History of Rotating Closures

Since July 2009, the Baltimore City Fire Department has been forced to close 5 Engine or Truck Companies every day/night because of the large budget cuts made by Mayor Dixon and the City of Baltimore. This puts the citizens throughout the City of Baltimore in extreme danger on a daily basis. Chief James Clack and PIO Kevin Cartwright have publicly stated that these closures do not effect response times. The fact is that these closures will increase response times and it has already taken its toll. In early morning of December 9, 2009, when Truck 18 (Walbrook Station) was closed overnight, a fire broke out in the 3100 block of Presstman Street. This is only 5 blocks away from the Walbrook Station firehouse. Unfortunately, a citizen lost their life during this incident. If Truck 18 was not closed that night, that unit would have been the first unit on scene and would have quickly begun search and rescue efforts. The first Truck Company to arrive on scene was Truck Company 16, which is located at 405 McMechen Street. Ironically, Truck Company 16 is slated to be closed permanently in January of 2010.

Is it right that the City of Baltimore does not properly fund the Baltimore City Fire Department to full operational status while Mayor Dixon takes a personal security detail costing thousands of dollars to Miami for a vacation? The Baltimore City Fire Department is made up of a proud and dedicated group of men and women from all walks of life. These members chose to serve you. In doing so, they only ask that the city provide the proper funding to allow them to perform their jobs safely and properly. PLEASE help us by calling your Council Member and demanding that the City of Baltimore properly fund the Baltimore City Fire Department.

December 17th Mayor Dixon Press Release

Sheila Dixon

Mayor, Baltimore

250 City Hall -Baltimore Maryland 21202 410-396-3835 • Fax: 410-576-9425

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT:

December 17, 2009 Scott Peterson

443-740-5412

Mayor Dixon Highlights Steps Taken to Address Staffing within the Baltimore City Fire Department

Insists that her administration is taking responsible measures to ensure Baltimore's long-term financial stability and retain a high level of public safety for residents.

Baltimore, MD (December 17, 2009) - Mayor Sheila Dixon responded to critics of her decisions regarding the budget for the Baltimore City Fire Department. She reiterated that she and Fire Chief James Clack have taken the necessary steps to make the Baltimore City Fire Department more innovative and efficient during these difficult economic times while addressing the resident's need for effective and reliable public safety services.

"Our primary concern is the health and safety of the people of Baltimore," said Mayor Dixon. "Chief Clack and I are working hard to provide the city with a world-class fire department in this tough economy."

The Mayor outlined what the administration has done to address staffing within the Fire Department:

No Additional Permanent Closures this Fiscal Year. The Mayor has agreed to
postpone permanently closing any fire company until the beginning of the next
fiscal year on July 1, 2010. This decision will not reduce or eliminate the need to
make tough decisions very soon, but the delay will allow for more discussions
between residents, the unions and City Council about what level of emergency
service the fire department can afford to provide our citizens.

Identify Funds to Drop from Five to Four Rotating Closures. The Fire
Department has shown that they can safely provide fire protection with four
rotating closures. Chief Clack has determined that five closures on any shift
should be avoided in the future. The reduction from five to four companies
closed per day will require $750,000 in additional overtime funding for FY 2010.
Funds must be identified from other budget programs.

• Submitted Application for SAFER Grant. The Baltimore City Fire Department applied today for funding from the SAFER grant. A monetary match and long term commitment was required to apply for these funds in the past. These onerous criteria have been lifted recently. This money, if awarded to the city, would provide funding for 22 additional firefighters which is the number of people needed to staff one fire company full time.

PIO and Chief state response times will increase by 90 seconds

Here is what can happen in less than 90 seconds. In every fire, every second counts! Don't let Mayor Dixon and Fire Chief James Clack gamble with your life.

Please watch the video below and let your Council Member know what you think about the EXTRA 90 seconds it will take for a Truck Company to arrive.

Think you could hold your breath ? How about your family ?

Medical Emergencies

Whenever someone calls 911 with a serious medical emergency, the Baltimore City Fire Department dispatches a Medic Unit along with an Engine or Truck Company. These calls include asthma attacks, diabetic emergencies, strokes or cardiac arrests.

According to the American Heart Association, if you are in cardiac arrest the following occurs: "Brain death and permanent death starts to occur in just 4 to 6 minutes after someone experiences cardiac arrest. Cardiac arrest can be reversed if it's treated within a few minutes with an electric shock to the heart to restore a normal heartbeat. This process is called defibrillation. A victim's chances of survival are reduced by 7 to 10 percent with every minute that passes without CPR and defibrillation. Few attempts at resuscitation succeed after 10 minutes."

Often times an Engine Company or Truck Company will arrive at your house rather quickly and begin patient care. Due to high call volume and/or insufficient medic units, fire companies are left on scene for extended periods of time waiting on the arrival of a medic unit. Without the quick arrival of an Engine Company or Truck Company, both of which carry oxygen and defibrillators, a patient in cardiac arrest has a decreased chance of survival.

If the closest Engine Company or Truck Company to your residence is CLOSED, response times will increase as fire companies from a further firehouse respond to your emergency. The longer it takes for fire companies to arrive, the smaller the chance of survival for someone with a serious medical emergency. An additional 90 seconds of response means AT LEAST a 7% to 10% reduction in the chances of survival.

City Hall Cutting Corners With Your Safety

In the last 25 years, the Baltimore City Fire Department has disbanded 24 Engine Companies, 11Truck Companies, 6 Aerial Towers, and 4 "Peak Time" Medic Units. As a result, the Baltimore City Fire Department today is stretched dangerously thin. In the Fall of 2008, Chief Clack publicly stated, "the department is at a bare bones level." Unbelievably, Mayor Dixon and City Hall want to close MORE Engine and Truck Companies.

Truck Company 2 was closed on July 1, 2009. Truck Company 2 was located at Steadman Station at the corner of Eutaw St. and Lombard St. The chief has now decided to close Truck Company 16 at McCullough and McMechen St. This irresponsible decision will leave a large gap in the next available Truck to respond to your emergency.

Is Your Closest City Fire Station Closed Tonight?

What Would Have Happened If This Families Closest Firehouse Was Closed??

History of Company Closures in Baltimore

Engine 49 (Fire Boat 4)              12/1/71
Engine 48 (Fire Boat 3)              06/30/72
Engine 59                                    7/19/77
Engine 9                                    4/12/78
Engine 15                                    8/24/78
Water Tower 1                           ì/1/79
Truck 17                                     å/1/81
Engine 17                                  7/5/84
Truck 19                                      7/5/84
Engine 22                                  㺊/30/85
Truck 24                                    㺊/30/85
Engine 1                                    á/19/86
Truck 11                                    á/19/86
Engine 42                                   5/29/86
Truck 14                                     5/29/86
Engine 10                                   6/4/86
Truck 28                                     6/4/86
Engine 11                                   8/26/88
Engine 12                                   8/26/88
Engine 25                                   8/26/88
Engine 37                                   8/26/88
BC 7                                            8/26/88
BC 11                                         æ/26/88
Engine 29                                  ì/21/89
Truck 22                                    ì/21/89
Engine 28                                  ì/27/89
Truck 2                                       9/27/89
BC 4                                            7/1/91
Engine 7                                    㺋/8/91
Engine 18                                  㺋/8/91
Engine 34                                  㺋/8/91
Engine 39 (Fire Boat 2)             11/8/91
Engine 38                                   9/21/94
AT 122 (from E-29, T-22)           9/21/94
Engine 32                                   3/22/95
Truck 4                                       3/22/95
AT 122 (from E-29, T-22)         ì/21/94
AT 111 (from E-1, T-11)            4/9/97
Engine 3                                     7/1/00
Engine 19                                   7/1/00
Engine 24                                   7/1/00
AT 128 (from E-10, T-28)          7/1/00
Truck 7                                      7/1/00
Truck 9                                      7/1/00
Truck 13                                    7/1/00
BC 8                                          7/1/00
Truck 2                                      7/1/09

When is it going to stop ?