Same Time Next Year
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It’s been nearly a year since I wrote about the problems that come from
having 11 bosses who are not on the same page about anything, as well as
suggestion...
4 months ago
July 16, 2008
Fire Station Question
I know this will create alot of comments, but here goes. If you had to make a decision between closing Providence Street or Tatnuck Square fire station, which one would you close?
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11 comments:
You couldn’t close the Tatnuck Fire Station. That would put Park Avenue as the closest station which for most sections of Tatnuck (especially at peak traffic times) would mean the first equipment on the scene would be way beyond the 4 minute threshold. As for Providence Street, I just hope no serious structure fire breaks out while a train is passing in Quinsig village.
Speaking of Quinsig village, I thought I saw some equipment and signs of interior demolition work on the site of what will be Worcester’s first Wal-Mart. Can anyone verify that for me?
Dave:
I agree with you. There are three stations (Grove, Park Ave and Webster Square) that could respond to calls on the West Side that are mostly of the first responder nature. It would admittedly increase drive time.
Between the two I would close Tatnuck and keep Providence Street open.
Bill
I live in Tatnuck and would be fine with that station closing if it meant a more dense area of the city would keep their coverage.
At some point in time we're going to be forced to evaluate what makes sense for public safety coverage based on actual emergencies not peoples fears of statistical anomalies.
I would think that Quins. Village is more than adequately served by the station on Mc Keon Rd???....and there's no worry about train tracks being blocked.
I am guessing that I could make that "blocked train tracks argument" in other locales in the city as well as Q.V.
I would close Prov St. Structure fires are down 90% in the last 10 yrs in Worc.........the fire dept s/b down 90% too.....only 3.5 % of the incident calls are to structure fires (per WMRB)......and I'll bet you 90% of that 3.5% are mere wastepaper baskets on fire...
Last week I saw a fire truck parked at a little league game....inquiring minds want to know what time the call came in for the fire truck to respond to that locale....wonder who called it in???
These arent even dangerous jobs....contrary to the media supported perception of men running into burning buildings all the time........this will bowl over lotsa folks................but your local Dominos delivery kiddo has a job that is much more dangeroius than that of fireman (or a cop).
I am sick of PArk Ave being tied up at all hours of the day & night with fire trucks from the park Ave station racing to Elm Park to tend to the old lady who took a header on the sidewalk and when they arrive the ambulance and Cops are already there..........8 emergency personnel responding to these types of incidents is nothing more than featherbedding.
What boterhs me is the fire truck responding to the old lady falling may be needed for a real fire in another area...and equipment & personnel are being wasted on this foolishness.
In this day & age robots s/b sent into burning buildings....... not humans.
I cant imagine another occupational calling that needs a such huge, huge public realtions campaign b/c more & more people I talk to feel that the sense of entitlement with firemen (and soem other city 'eees as well) is way over the top.
Everything .....from our city FF'ers traveling to Sturbridge to counter a cliam that a Sturbr. FF'er is dysfunctional..........to the incident at the College Sq off ramp last fall when a car rooled over........a paaser by stopped and helped to extricate the passengers........then an off duty Worc fireman shows up and claims he helped rescue the passengers.......
This line of work S/b privatized but I understand it cannot be b/c state law says all FF'ers must be minucipal employees.......you want to be a real FF'er....join the ranks of thsoe who put out oil well fires
Then there's my 2 contractor buddies.................always saying that FF'ers are takign their work and underbidding them and FF'er have no workmens comp & GL insurance and take all their 2nd income jobs under the table and they dont have to worry about including the cost of their health ins in the their bids b/c they get that through their city jobs.
These fire depts everywhere are anachromisms........anyone read the paper about these Boston FF'ers.....my GOD !!!!!.....when fewer buggy whips are needed then fewer buggy whip manufacturing employees are needed.
I knew this would get Jahn fired up....
That said I was narrowing my scope asking if you were the Fire Chief and had to close one station-Tatnuck or Providence Street. What would you think would be the best one to close in the public's interest?
Keeping in mind, I know absolutely nothing about fire safety and am only looking at this from a businessman's point of view. I would keep Providence Street open and close Tatnuck.
Admittedly I am friend of Rep Fresolo but I believe this was more a political decision then anything else. So jahn, if you had to close one station and you were the fire chief, which one?
Bill, I know when youre baiting me.....[g]
I thought I did say to close Prov. St....b/c Mckeon Rd should suffice.
BTW i passed by the Prov St station last week....i couldnt help but notice the FF'ers standing outside the station overhead door and smoking...then thinnking if any of these guys contract any respiratory problems ....that per state law it is automatically deemed job related and eleigible for disabilty pension.......
As You said & I agree all fire dept decisions are more political in nature than practical......these guys s/b out fixing sidewalks, picking up the Common trash, etc ..............rather then chilling in the fire station all day watching Huckleberry Hound and/or sleeping all night...............bring the fire truck with them......if an alarm rings just leave the task at hand and return to it later..................fire depts s/b responding to fires only
and the hell with IIAF standards........they are all self serving featherbedding.
Once agisn nothing begs for privatization more than FF'ers..........well maybe school custodians do............
Maybe Kate would be kind enough to tell us why Edu-Clean is OK in other areas.........but not in Worcester......maybe a Kate "Blogger-View" is in order?
Jahn;
to be a bloggah you have to once in awhile state an opinion?? Am I correct on this??
You have to be kidding me !
I may not label my blggings as opinions.....but if you name some issues..............i am certain any regular visitor to this site could tell you my opinion of the issue..
oBVIOULSY I DONT SPEAK OUT ON ALL ISSUES........ but I am Certain many here would at the very least call me opinionated on quite a few issues.......others I am sure would call me other things.....some might even call me a pigeon.......always dumping on the city...........but that's how the cookie crumbles
How about "Turtle Pond" for new rink........i thought if it this morning listening to Worc talk radio....that Turtle is still on the common.......right??
But hey the weather has been great of late..........I do hope all are enjoying it.......
ya suppose Glodis has hit the Dennis beaches yet and bullied any 16 yr old parking lot attendants to not charge him the mandated $15 to park his county issued Expedition....whilst wifie, kids, & vacationeers look on in utter disbelief.......time for thsi slug to run for govenor and lose .......so we can be done with him
Jahn:
I translated the anonymous comment that Kate need to have an opinion, not you??
Bill
Correct Wild Will...monitoring blogs is not blogging
For the record, I grew up in Tatnuck Square and my mother still lives there. Of the two I think there is no doubt that Providence Street is needed more and that we should close Tatnuck Square.
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