Wilmington to idle fire trucks to save on overtime

The day after a Canby Park blaze killed two firefighters, the Wilmington Fire Department suspended a controversial program in which a fire truck was taken out of service on a particular day to save on overtime costs.

Although no link was found, a fire engine nearest to the Sept. 24 deadly blaze had been placed out of service that day.

On Tuesday, citing $500,000 in overtime costs four months into the budget year, the department resumed the controversial practice called conditional company closures and idled a truck. This occurred nearly two months to the day that Capt. Christopher Leach and Lt. Jerry Fickes died when the first floor of that burning Canby Park rowhome collapsed, leaving them trapped.

“While the practice of Conditional Company Closures (CCC) may be unpopular among firefighters, the program is necessary in order to control overtime spending," Wilmington Fire Chief Anthony S. Goode said in a statement.

The resumption of the practice Tuesday sparked an outcry from firefighters including a social media post from one of the men injured in the blaze.

"I don't have to tell you that this is a dangerous practice, one that was instituted the night of Sept. 24, 2016," Lt. John Cawthray posted on his Facebook account Monday. Cawthray suffered second-degree burns on his wrist and hand that night. "I am amazed that less than 2 months after this tragedy that money trumps safety. The men and women of the WFD will continue to do their jobs and provide the best possible service to the citizens of Wilmington.

"We will do more with less. Stay Strong Brothers and Sisters!!!!!"

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Members of the International Association of Fire Fighters Local 1590, which represents Wilmington firefighters, held an opposition rally 4 p.m. Tuesday outside the Redding City/County Building, at 800 N. French St.

At a press conference held earlier in the day, union members said no one had explained to them why the closures resumed after the department lost Leach and Fickes.

"We strongly disagree with the rolling bypass," said Tim Taggart, vice president of Local 1590.

Shortly after the press conference, Goode released a statement through the Mayor's Office noting the need to use the program to control overtime. With seven months left in the fiscal year, the Fire Department has already used the $500,000 of money allocated for overtime.

"The significant use of operations overtime funding can be attributed to 11 vacant firefighter positions, as well as increased sick and injury leave," Goode said. "In addition to (conditional company closures), the fire department will reallocate personnel from Fire Administration, the Fire Prevention Division and the Marine Unit to increase staffing in the Operations division, in an effort to combat the impact of overtime spending."

Conditional company closures, a practice used by the department and several others throughout the country to manage overtime, takes a fire truck out of service depending on the number of fire personnel out sick or on vacation on a particular day. Each fire apparatus is required to have four people in order to operate, so rather than calling in a firefighter to be paid on overtime to fill a vacancy, the truck is put out of service.

Similar closures had been used by previous administrations but were called "rolling bypass" and a different company would be closed on a rotating basis.

Fire Engine 6, a truck that provides a limited supply of water, equipment and hoses needed by firefighters, was idled by the practice the day of the deadly fire. That truck is housed at the nearest fire station to Canby Park.

Goode has said rolling bypass was effective at keeping overtime low because it was used nearly every day as a cost-cutting measure. But he said he was against that because it increased risk for residents, and he felt the conditional company closures were a better option and would be implemented only when overtime funding runs low.

Alexandra Coppadge, a spokeswoman for Mayor Dennis P. Williams, said the administration has "an obligation to be fiscally responsible" and noted that Conditional Company Closures have been used for years.

"The fire department will implement Conditional Company Closures as a measure to rein in overtime spending," she said in a statement.

Wilmington Councilman Robert A. Williams, a member of City Council's Public Safety Committee, said there are ways to save money other than idling fire trucks.

"I just don't agree with the Russian roulette," he said. "Engine 6 was closed the night of the fatal fire. Would that have made a difference? I don't know."

"The experts would have to give you a better opinion, but having water to the scene prior to a ladder [truck], in my opinion, is probably more favorable."

Investigators charged 27-year-old Beatriz Fana-Ruiz with two counts of first-degree murder; one count of first-degree arson; four counts of second-degree assault in the injuries of other firefighters involved; and seven counts of reckless endangerment. Detectives at a preliminary hearing said she became angry after she found her belongings moved around in the basement of the home.

Also injured in the blaze were Wilmington firefighter Brad Speakman, who was released from Crozer-Chester Medical Center earlier this month and Senior Firefighter Ardythe Hope who remains at the Upland, Pennsylvania, hospital in critical condition.

Contact Esteban Parra at (302) 324-2299, eparra@delawareonline.com or Twitter @eparra3. Contact Brittany Horn at (302) 324-2771 or bhorn@delawareonline.com. Follow her on Twitter at @brittanyhorn.