Editor’s Opinion Chris Mc Loone
In what seems like the not-too-distant past but is actually the years 2006 to 2010, I worked in Center City, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
I worked on the 12th floor of a building that overlooked Spring Garden Street and 15th Street, but I could see Broad Street just a block away from my window. Broad Street is a north/south main thoroughfare stretching from the city’s suburban border with Cheltenham Township all the way down to South Philadelphia well beyond the Sports Complex.
Although you may consider filing this in your Book of Useless Information, I do have a point to make. There’s not much chance of me hearing a siren and NOT looking out the window to see what’s coming. Police, EMS, fire—it doesn’t matter. I’m as bad today as I was when I was a kid. While working in Center City, I used to see fire apparatus responding all the time up and down Broad Street and occasionally even to our building. Engine 13 and Ladder 1 served our area, but in 2009, Ladder 1 was decommissioned because of budget cuts. Seven companies in all were closed in 2009, including Engine 1, Engine 6, Engine 8, Engine 14, Engine 39, Ladder 1, and Ladder 11. Thanks to a $22.4 million Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) grant, Ladder 1 was recently reactivated, and Engine 6 and Ladder 11 will also soon be reopened. Engine 1, Engine 8, Engine 14, and Engine 39 were all restored in 2019, also thanks to a $16.6 million SAFER grant and additional funds from Philadelphia.
These are a couple of examples local to me, but stories like this occur across the country thanks to SAFER grants and Assistance to Firefighters Grants (AFG). But, these programs are not givens, and they do need to be reauthorized this year. They will sunset on September 30 unless they are reauthorized.
I can remember a time when these programs did not exist, but for many in the fire service, they have always been here. The Philadelphia Fire Department example above is only one illustrating how these two programs benefit the fire service every day. Take a quick look at our news section at fireapparatus.com, and you’ll find stories that frequently point to new equipment purchases a fire department made after receiving funds from the AFG program. You’ll also find instances where SAFER grants allowed departments to maintain their staffing or add/train staffing. The reality for the U.S. fire service is that not all fire departments or their municipalities can generate the funds necessary to maintain fully equipped fleets and personnel. That is where these critical programs come into play.
It is time for us to mobilize to ensure these programs are reauthorized. The easiest way is for us to pick up our phones and contact our congressperson to tell our stories. Talk about how these programs have helped your departments. But, also discuss your struggles and how these programs CAN play a critical role in overcoming them. Most importantly, tell them how these programs keep your communities—and their communities—safe by ensuring properly trained and equipped firefighters will respond to what are becoming increasingly complex incidents.
It is hard to believe these programs have been around for as long as they have, and I’m grateful for them. They have done a lot of good for the American fire service and can continue if we get out and demand that they be reauthorized. Specifically, ask that the Fire Grants and Safety Act (S.870/H.R.4090) be included in any legislation Congress passes this year. The Senate passed S.870 in April 2023. September 30 will get here sooner than you think.
Finally, have you started thinking about FDIC International 2024 yet? Registration is open, so be sure to visit www.fdic.com to peruse this year’s HOT classes and classroom sessions. We’ve got big plans this year for the Lucas Oil Experience you won’t want to miss. Of course, you’ll get to see the newest innovations from fire service suppliers at the biggest North American trade show floor for the fire service.
