Much has been said over the past few years from our elected officials and a few local gadflies concerning Lockport Fire Department overtime, staffing, and the future direction of the paid Professional Fire Department here in Lockport. These same issues transcend across New York State and this great Nation of ours, even reaching across borders to our brothers in Canada.

National Fire Protection Association standards suggest safe staffing levels of three men on an ambulance, four men per engine and five men assigned to a ladder truck. This is a safety issue not just for firefighters, but also for residents. Research indicates that a crew of four men is only 65% as effective as a crew of five, and that a crew of three is only 38% as effective as a crew of five.

If Lockport Fire Department were returned to staffing levels of the past, over time costs would be insignificant. Work- related time lost due to injuries have increased since elected officials have downsized the Department, adding to the over time burden. The practice of maintaining an understaffed minimum manning level by paying out over time dollars is both fiscally irresponsible and purposefully ignorant.

Much has been made of a possible switch in dispatch and what effect that will have on response time. A recent report from the Boston Globe reported that roughly $ 1 billion dollars annually in house fire damages could be averted if firefighters could respond within the suggested 6 minute window. A separate study to evaluate emergency survival of sudden cardiac arrest showed that with an overall response of 5.5 minutes for CPR, defibrillatory shock, and advanced life support, the expected survival rating was 67percent.

The survival rating decreased 5.5 percent for every one minute of time delay. Another study of AED use by first responders showed an improvement in spontaneous circulation and admission to hospital, but did not show a significant increase in survival to discharge from hospital. The lack of the other two components of the EMS triad, oxygen and cardiac drugs, are necessary for survival. The Lockport Fire Department level of care coupled with its average response time of 2.7 minutes is far superior.

Some in the community have been suggesting a combination department or a “free” volunteer service. The New York State Professional Fire Fighters Association commissioned a report on the” Myths of the Free Fire Service”. Some of the findings revealed that true costs are nearly impossible to calculate. One reason why is that non-profit fire protection districts do not have to file annual financial reports with the State Comptrollers Office. Current tax dollars used to support volunteer departments and fundraising dollars are not considered costs by some.

Also adding to the cost burden of these “free” services is the recruitment and retention incentives for volunteers. The length of service pension awards  by Sen. Charles Schumer to introduce legislation of an award program of $1000.00 Federal tax credit to volunteers has not lead to an increase in the number of volunteers, but the downward spiral of the past 15 years continues.

As a city resident, my taxes rise each and every year, and the past promises of city services being left at the status quo, have been broken. Elected Officials must be held accountable.

                                                Charles J. Morrello

                                                Lockport city firefighter from 1965 to 1999

                                                Buffalo News Sunday May 22 2005