WHEREAS, Public support for emergency response workers is understandably at an all-time high, and recruitment and educational efforts have seen a tremendous response; and
WHEREAS, Philadelphia has a fire department that is well-known and widely respected by its peers, and every day our firefighters put their lives on the line to protect the health and safety of our residents and visitors; and
WHEREAS, The Philadelphia Fire Department has over 2400 firefighters, with 84 fire engines and 39 ladder trucks, and it is critical that the City ensure that our firefighters have all of the necessary and current equipment to get their jobs done without unduly risking any one’s safety; and
WHEREAS, Nearly a third of the Fire Department’s ladder trucks are more than fifteen years old, past their recommended life spans, and frequently the Department has to shift parts and equipment from older vehicles to new models in order to maintain federal standards; and
WHEREAS, Additional personal safety equipment is desperately needed, in order to serve as back-up if necessary, and professional cleaning services should be made available for this personal safety equipment, as our Fire Department is one of the few in the country that requires individual firefighters to clean their own equipment, thus putting them in possibly health-endangering situations; and
WHEREAS, Since replacing fire safety equipment can be very time-consuming, and that each ladder truck alone can cost $300,000, an analysis should be conducted to ensure that the Fire Department’s equipment and safety gear are sufficient to address any and all unforeseeable problems or events; now therefore
RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, That authority be given to the Public Safety and Legislative Oversight Committees to hold public hearings on the status and condition of the Philadelphia Fire Department’s equipment and safety gear.
End