Firefighter's union concerned about high demand and not enough crews during the freeze

Sunday, December 25, 2022

Fire trucks sit idle during peak in calls due to freeze, here's why

As the city heads into its third morning of freezing temperatures, the firefighter's union is expressing concerns about the amount of fire trucks they claim are sitting idle and un

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- As the city heads into its third morning of freezing temperatures, the firefighter's union is expressing concerns about the amount of fire trucks they claim are sitting idle and unable to respond to calls. However, the Houston's fire chief stresses that all fire stations are operational.

In a news release on Christmas Eve, the Houston Professional Firefighters Association (HPFFA) said that there were 17 engines and ladders that were out of commission by 12 p.m., due to staffing shortages or mechanical issues.

"I am very concerned about the ability of our firefighters to respond to calls for service. It is a critical situation that places the safety of our firefighters and the citizens of Houston at risk. It is especially concerning considering that we are heading into the third night of record-freezing temperatures that have increased calls for service. There is no excuse for this happening," HPFFA President Patrick "Marty" Lancton said.

The City of Houston and its firefighters are months away from a final showdown over long running legal issues on pay and collective bargaining rights.

Sunday afternoon, Houston Fire Department Deputy Chief Isaac Garcia said about 75 crew members responded to an apartment complex fire near Timmons and West Alabama in the Upper Kirby area. He estimated about 10 units were damaged, impacting 40 to 50 people. Luckily, no one was seriously injured. But the cause is still under investigation.

"It has been quite busy here lately. I found out that we were several hundred calls above normal yesterday (Friday). We're hitting that step. A lot has to do with alarms, water alarms going off, automatic alarms. As temperatures start to warm up, the water pressure is fluctuating primarily because of leaks that were being manifested," Garcia said when asked about their call volume.

In response to the fire union's news release, HFD Chief Sam Peña wrote in a statement that all fire stations are operational. As of Saturday, they have all 104 EMS units, plus 4 additional peak-time ambulances, all 88 engine/fire trucks, and 25 out of 38 ladder trucks in service.

"We appreciate all the firefighters working (Sunday), but staffing becomes even more challenging during the holidays when less personnel volunteer for overtime," Peña said.

Firefighters said during this busy time for them, they advise the public to take extra steps to be fire safe.