Politics & Government
City Council to Discuss Closing Fire Station
Under Callahan proposal, Dewberry Avenue station would become EMS station.
City Council’s Public Safety Committee tonight will meet to review a proposal by Mayor John Callahan to shut the North Central Fire Station on Dewberry Avenue to convert it into a station for emergency medical services.
The mayor now favors this proposal over building a new $1.7 million EMS building on Illick’s Mill Road to save money.
But taxpayers are already paying in part for a new EMS building. Council raised taxes eight months ago by 0.75 mills to pay for a new EMS facility and a new fire truck. About $1 million has been brought in so far.
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According to a story in The Morning Call, Callahan said his plan would cost $325,000 and include an addition and renovations to the Dewberry Avenue building, and renovations to the existing EMS station at Broad Street and Stefko Boulevard.
Four ambulances would be housed in the Dewberry Avenue facility and the other three would remain in the Stefko Boulevard unit. He contends that the number of fires has decreased and response times by other fire stations to most of the station’s coverage area would be within industry standard.
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The mayor can close the firehouse, but he would need council’s approval to divert taxpayer money to pay for conversion of the Dewberry Avenue fire station. Fire apparatus now at 201 Dewberry Ave. would be relocated to the Easton Avenue fire station.
The meeting is scheduled to start at 7 p.m. at Town Hall.
David A. Saltzer, union president, called upon residents to save the fire station and “tell Mayor Callahan to abandon this absurd idea.” The union says response time to structures in the district by other stations would be increased, compromising safety.
Additionally, manpower issues are at the forefront. The city is engaged in arbitration with firefighters to reduce the minimum manning requirement of 22 firefighters per shift. Public Safety Committee Chairman David DiGiacinto said that the elimination of the Dewberry Avenue station is contingent upon contract negotiations and the reduction of manning levels.
EMS Director Gordon Smith supports the conversion plan, and City Fire Commissioner George Barkanic said he believes response time would not increase by much.
