DETROIT – In a city like Detroit, you would assume we have the necessary fire trucks to make rescues in highrise buildings.
But what the Local 4 investigators discovered Tuesday (Feb. 27) afternoon might leave you nervous.
I got this tip that Ladder 7, which serves the Midtown and downtown area, has been broken since October. It has no bucket attached to the ladder, so it can’t rescue people from tall buildings.
So I spent the day trying to track down that broken truck, and what I found is disturbing and will leave you worried, no doubt, if you work, live, or visit the city.
We should start from the beginning to understand why I was over at the Detroit Fire Department Repair Shop Tuesday afternoon, peering through the windows to see what’s being stored.
Our day started at Ladder Company 7, and the issue there is a union spokesperson who told me their ladder truck has had no bucket for highrise rescues since October.
“Especially downtown highrises, if we have a fire down there, that’s the truck you want down there,” said union spokesperson Tom Gehart.
That truck specifically serves Wayne State, the New Center area, and, of course, downtown if it’s needed.
That brings us to the east side of Moran Street and East Grand Boulevard; behind me was Fire Hall 23.
Insiders told me there is a squad that is assigned to the building, and the squad is supposed to hold all the tools for the firefighters. The problem is that there is not enough space on the truck.
“They have the jaws of life, stabilize a car on the freeway, they have stabilizers that has anything and everything you ever need ropes for rescues,” Gehart said.
Now, let’s go back to where we started at the Detroit Fire Repair Shop over at Eastern Market, where I got another tip where fire sources tell me there is a bucket truck there. It has been there for months, not being used because it can not fit into a fire hall.
The truck above, I believe, is the truck we are talking about that has a bucket that the city could be using, and as I was investigating it, DFD shut the garage door on me.
After the video, Ladder Company 7 got a bucket for their truck. Insiders told me they switched rigs around a few hours after I started asking questions.
“The safety and protection of the citizens of the City of Detroit remains our top priority.
When Ladder 7's platform ladder was being repaired, a complete check of the vehicle resulted in additional issues being discovered. Due to these additional specialized repairs, getting that vehicle back in service has taken longer than usual.
Thankfully, Detroit Fire Department has a reserve platform ladder that is currently stationed at Ladder 7's quarters, and there are two additional platform ladder trucks in service throughout the city, including one near Downtown at Mt. Elliott and East Lafayette.
The temporary squad assigned to Engine 23 has most of the equipment typically carried by a full-sized squad truck, and the missing equipment will not prevent the team from responding to any medical runs.
At no time has Ladder 7 been without a Ladder truck. Ladder trucks and platform ladders reach the same height and are both effective in high-rise rescues."
Detroit Fire Department Chief James Harris