Response Delay Changes

Lockport (NY) mayor Michael Tucker has increased firefighter staffing so there is at least one person on-duty for dispatching duties, after a 15-minute response delay resulted in a “compromised” medical incident. Apparently all 8 of the town’s firefighters were out of the station, and the police officer who then came in to answer calls couldn’t reach the first firefighter on the call-in list, and for some reason didn’t continue on down the list. The mayor said he’ll now staff 9 firefighters per shift, hoping to eliminate the possibility that all firefighters would be out of the station, and end police back-up of fire dispatch duties. The mayor noted that the new arrangement will cost more in overtime, however. The town’s population is about 19,600. Read more here.