Tucson Fire Station closes, numerous response units shut down due to staffing shortages–TFFA says tens of thousands impacted

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TUCSON, Ariz. (KOLD News 13) – The Tucson Fire Fighters Association today shared with the community what it is listing for news that Fire Station 6 on Wilmot has closed due to staff shortages.

But that’s not all.

“In this station there is a fire engine and a bush tender that reacts to forest fires. We also decommissioned a paramedic truck, two EMS captains, and a hazardous goods truck that supplies hazardous materials to not just the city of Tucson, but all of southern Arizona and the region. We also shut down our air light and motor vehicle which apparently provides our firefighters with lighting and refilling of air bottles as well as rehabilitation for every fire we go to. So all of these units were shut down, ”says TFFA Vice President Nate Weber.

Weber says the workforce has been critically tight for quite some time. And the TFD boss asked for a better budget to support community and population growth.

“I can tell you that even before this conversation about the mandate we have been given, our staff is low,” says Weber.

But once it’s fully enforced, he says it may not make the staffing problems any better.

“Today we have requested nearly 40 firefighters for overtime to fill these vacancies, and today we do not have any of our firefighters affected by the suspension imposed by this mandate and the resignations imposed under that mandate still have not even started. “

Weber says he’s never seen anything like it and says that it comes down to Tucson city funding and better recruiting.

“For each of the current vacancies that we have or that are being created, it takes almost 14 months to recruit and train firefighters so they can put these people in those vacancies.”

This all comes as TFD continues to lose people to more competitive agencies. Weber says, “We need to take better care of our public safety men and women. We keep losing a lot. A record number of people have been lost to local authorities in the past year or two. “

KOLD asked Weber how many people would be affected by these shutdowns and closings.

“I would honestly say tens of thousands. And the reason for this is that Station 6 covers the Wilmot area, so you have the entire journey from Corona de Tucson to Sahuarita through Wilmot. It includes the Public Safety Academy. It includes three different prisons on Wilmot plus part of Littletown and parts of the freeway. With Medic 19 shut down, this is the only ALS response and transportation unit for anyone traveling from Vail and Corona de Tucson, as well as the Mesquite Ranch, Rita Ranch, etc. communities.

Weber says Tucson is at the height of returning winter visitors and events like a soccer tournament, the air show, and others are in town. He says the decommissioned units could instead respond and help the community.

“The staff shortage TFD is facing will result in slower response times for the Tucson community and significantly increase the risk to both our public and our firefighters. Our men and women are getting stronger and stronger and doing a great job for this community, even though many of them work 36 or 48 hours straight. Please be patient with our firefighters and understand that we are doing our best to meet this challenge, ”says TFFA.

Copyright 2021 KOLD News 13. All rights reserved.

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