Baltimore City Reduces Number Of Fire House Closures

BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- Deadly fires in Baltimore have led to complaints about the city's decision to rotate closures of fire companies in order to save money.  Now the fire department is reducing the number of closures.

Pat Warren has more.

Fire officials insist that closing companies on a rotating basis has not hampered their effectiveness but union members still find the reduction in closures welcome news.

Firefighters went door-to-door Monday handing out smoke detectors.  They canvassed the Homewood Avenue neighborhood where a person died in a fire over the weekend, a neighborhood not far from the fire that killed three adults and three children a couple of weeks ago.  A nearby fire company was closed that day.

On Saturday, the closest engine to this fire was closed to save money and the nearest engine company was on a medical emergency.  Although help arrived within three minutes, a person was found dead on the first floor.

Now the fire department has announced that it is reducing the daily closures from three to two. 

City Fire Union President Bob Sledgeski considers that welcome news, but still questions claims that the closures don't pose a threat to safety.

"Certainly, there have been some cases where it wouldn't have mattered," he said, but there are many cases where it would.

Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake was not available for comment, but points to an increase in funding for free smoke alarms, something everybody should take advantage of.

Call 396-SAVE to get free smoke detectors.  There are no income requirements.

The firefighters' union says it will continue to stress the importance of having a full-staffed fire department.