Lynn Ward 1 response time to grow with fire truck off line

LYNN – In 27 days, the Fire Department will have no ladder truck stationed at the Broadway firehouse, a situation that leaves Ward 1 and neighborhoods flanking Lynnfield Street with a longer emergency response time.The decision to take the Broadway firehouse ladder truck – actually an aerial platform tower – out of service was made by Acting Fire Chief James Carritte and ranking department officers after scrutinizing the 2010 fiscal budget.In addition to the aerial platform, Lynn has two “straight stick” ladders – namely Ladder 1 at the Fayette Street firehouse and Ladder 2 at the Western Avenue fire headquarters. When the change is made, the Ladder 2 straight stick will be taken out of service for lack of manpower, but maintained in a state of readiness should it be needed for a big fire or other major incident. The aerial platform will be reassigned from Broadway to the Western Avenue firehouse, a greater distance from Ward 1 and the Lynnfield Street area.According to Carritte, taking a ladder truck out of service translates to no department layoffs. The annual cost of operating a ladder truck in Lynn is approximately $1.3 million, about equal to what it will cost to keep all current firefighters on the job.But the situation is more complicated, based on information Carritte presented Tuesday to the City Council’s Public Safety Committee.The fire chief said ladder trucks used in urban environments typically have a lifespan of 20 years. He noted that the department’s three ladder trucks were manufactured in 1994, 1995 and 2001. The oldest will soon need replacement, he said, explaining that firetrucks are usually custom-built and a year can elapse between down payment and delivery.Although the city budget is tight, Carritte advised the committee members to recommend $200,000 be authorized immediately toward the cost of a new ladder truck that will ultimately have a price tag of $900,000 to $1 million. The truck would be paid off in 5-7 years, he said, adding that the purchase order should be sent out by July 1 – start of the new fiscal year.Carritte said the Fire Department’s capital plan is designed to replace every piece of apparatus over the next 18 years.Under question by the committee, Carritte noted that national fire safety standards suggest urban communities operate one ladder truck per 30,000 residents. Given that Lynn’s population is near 100,000, three ladder trucks are the minimum for comfort, he said.Instead of keeping both straight sticks in service, the 177-man department would revert to one straight stick and the aerial tower because the latter vehicle is versatile and offers firefighters a safer rescue platform. In some cases, the straight stick is more appropriate and has a longer reach.”By pulling a ladder out of service, we save $3,600 a day,” said the chief, explaining that each of the two daily shifts cost $1,800 to $1,900.Carritte said the 2010 budget will be impacted by the anticipated retirement of 10 Lynn firefighters and by cost savings through the elimination of the department’s safety officer and the chief’s aide/driver. Under the present operating procedure, one safety officer works in the city round-the-clock, responding to fires, gas leaks and other incidents with an eye to keeping the men safe.The fiscal 2010 Fire Department budget addresses a 7 percent decrease in funding from the previous year – reflected in a $1.4 million salary cut.”We will be forced to close on a permanent basis the ladder truck on Broadway, but we don’t anticipate any layoffs,” Carritte told the committee.Discussions are also under way over how to possibly staff a ladder truck at the Broadway firehouse on nights and weekends during the coming months, but these talks have not been in detail.The chief defended the department’s Fire Prevention Bureau, saying its budget must remain intact because data shows education about the danger of fire saves the most lives.Still another component must be factored into the ladder truck