ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Monday, July 22, 1996 TAG: 9607220029
SECTION: EDITORIAL PAGE: A-4 EDITION: METRO
ROANOKE CITY'S new fire chief, James Grigsby, is proposing a reasonable reorganization of fire and rescue operations that would make them more cost-effective while not jeopardizing the high quality of protection city residents already enjoy.
Predictably, opposition is arising without regard to the facts.
Grigsby, as it happens, makes a strong case that the changes - while saving taxpayers' money - would enhance the quality of both firefighting and emergency-medical services, recently combined in his department.
The reorganization would consolidate the city's fire stations, shrinking by a few the current total of 14. It also would reduce the 279-member workforce by 21 employees - through attrition rather than layoffs.
Some change-resistant members of the firefighters union, not surprisingly, object to the downsizing. That they would want to make their views known is reasonable.
What isn't reasonable is for them to suggest, or for anyone to infer, that safety will be compromised.
There is certainly no cause for panicky outrage among Roanokers, or for knee-jerk political reactions on City Council. Not when the proposal has yet to be finalized, approved by the city manager or presented to council. Not when employee-teams' analysis and outside studies suggest convincingly that the fire department is overstaffed and overbuilt, and that its equipment and methods need modernizing. And not when the aims of the reorganization explicitly include improved safety.
A Lynchburg study of 12 municipalities shows that, on average, they serve 11,959 residents per firehouse. Each Roanoke fire station serves an average of 5,706 residents. Roanoke has more firefighters per capita - 2.95 per 1,000 residents - than the other cities. And, with one fire station for every three square miles, Roanoke has more than double the number called for by insurance-industry guidelines.
Grigsby isn't suggesting that the number of stations be cut in half. He and employee teams are looking at a reduction of three or four firehouses via mergers of older operations into new and larger stations. Better locations would improve service.
Nor is he suggesting that the city make do with fewer firefighters. The modest reduction in personnel would be made possible by giving firefighting training to 31 emergency-medical technicians. The goal is 254 employees certified for both firefighting and EMS. That would give the city a net increase in trained firefighters.
Other changes - including updated water-delivery equipment and purchase of dual-purpose vehicles that combine the ladder truck and fire engine - would likely improve service as well, including the department's already excellent response time in getting to emergencies with the needed personnel and equipment.
Grigsby proposes to step up fire-prevention efforts with education programs and building inspections. This, too, should reduce fire losses in the city.
The proposed reorganization could save Roanoke taxpayers $800,000 a year. At the very least, residents and City Council ought to hold their fire until they've heard the details.
LENGTH: Medium: 60 linesby CNB