Equipment shortage detailed by fire chief at Atlanta City Council meeting
Failing equipment holding ATL fire crews back
Questions are being raised about Atlanta fire crews' readiness when it comes to handling emergencies. Recently, Atlanta firefighters couldn't push water to the top of a ladder truck to conduct a two-sided aerial attack on a massive fire. They blamed equipment failure then and explained why it's so hard to get proper equipment in a timely manner.
ATLANTA - Firefighters could not push water to the top of a ladder truck to conduct a two-sided aerial attack during a large apartment fire in Atlanta last week.
It was an equipment problem -- one of the issues Atlanta City Council member Dustin Hillis raised during a rare hearing before the full city council.
The incident was close to home for Hillis who represents the northwest section of town.
UNDER FIRE: CRITICAL SHORTAGE OF TRUCKS FORCES ATLANTA FIRE TO CALL FOR HELP FOR EMERGENCIES
On that same fire, functioning resources were so short, commanders pulled a truck from the airport -- on the south side -- to help in the fire attack.
And that is highly unusual because the airport fire equipment is dedicated to the airport.
"So, I think that shows what a dire situation it is right now," said Hillis
There are two problems the council member asked Atlanta Fire Chief Rod Smith about during the Monday meeting.
He wanted to know what happened to the schedule for new equipment and what is being done to get the old trucks out of the shop.
On the first issue, Chief Smith said a company that committed to an expedited time frame for new trucks got behind due to supply chain issues.
For the maintenance shop, overtime and weekend duty has been approved to hasten repairs.
"No matter the condition of our equipment," Smith said, "we are doing the job".