As Chicago grapples with a shortage of essential emergency vehicles, the Englewood neighborhood's fire station finds itself operating without a fire truck. The station's Truck 20 was sidelined due to brake failure over the weekend, and no spare vehicles were available to fill in. Patrick Cleary, president of the Chicago Firefighters Union Local 2, expressed his consternation to Block Club Chicago, noting, "I've never worked a day where they say we don’t have any rigs for you guys to work today," as stated by NBC Chicago.
The absence of Truck 20 leaves the station primarily with an engine, which can effectively douse flames but lacks the tools fundamental to forcibly open up structures, critical for proper ventilation during a fire. A spokesperson for the Chicago Fire Department assured the public that other trucks will temporarily assist the Englewood area, as mentioned by Block Club Chicago.
The Union’s contract with the city, which expired three years ago, has become a central issue in this situation, with the Union pushing for new equipment, including 20 additional ambulances, during negotiations. "They don’t give us counter proposals. We give them proposals, they give us nothing," Cleary told NBC Chicago.
There seems to be a systemic issue at hand, with the Department of Fleet and Facility Management under pressure to quickly repair and return fire trucks and engines currently out of service. "If they don’t get them to work, there’s not a backup truck to replace them," Cleary said to Block Club Chicago
.jpg){kind=link}