Pawtucket Fire Union wants city to give back engine replaced with new rescue

September 16, 2019 5:58 pm

PAWTUCKET, R.I. (WLNE) – Pawtucket firefighters are at odds with the city yet again. The fire department was given a new rescue, but one of their engine companies was taken out of service.

The department went from three rescues and six engines to four rescues and five engines.

“You take resources away from us, it affects our job and the way we can do our job. It’s one less fire truck in the city responding.”

Pawtucket Firefighters Local 1261 President Lieutenant Scott Giroux said although another rescue was added, there were no additional hires. The firefighters on Engine 3 were moved to run the rescue.

“With those two individuals who are running the rescue, potentially out of the city, out of service on EMS calls for up to an hour at a time, we have that many less guys responding to any other potential emergency,” said Lt. Giroux.

The engine company was taken away on Saturday. Giroux said the department was definitely in need of another rescue, but not in place of an engine company.

“The calls don’t go away, whether you take a truck out of service or not, the calls are still there.”

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He said in his 15 years on the job, calls have increased from around 10,000 per year to over 18,000. He says the loss of this truck means slower response times for residents, especially those in the district that lost their fire department two years ago.

The West End Fire Station on West Avenue in Pawtucket closed in 2017 due to its dire need of repair.

“We still have six districts but now only five engines. At least before we had six engines that they could respond in a somewhat timely manner. We still technically have on paper six districts, they haven’t redistricted the city at all. But we’re covering that sixth district with the other fire engines. So response times to that district will increase, so the people in that district will be waiting longer for anybody to get there.”

We reached out to Pawtucket Mayor Don Grebien about the decision, he said to us in a statement that over 80% of calls for service in the city are for EMS, and that’s why they brought in the fourth rescue.

“Public Safety is paramount,” Mayor Grebien said. “The addition of a fourth rescue will continue the City’s commitment to improve the safety of the community and in a manner that protects residents’ hard earned dollars.”

The Mayor’s office clarifies by saying “the Mayor and administration wanted to keep the sixth engine. However, contractual constraints forced the City to close the engine in order to implement the much needed fourth rescue since the union rejected the proposal.”

The union hopes to set up a meeting with the Mayor to discuss the decision.