MILITARY
Firefighters oppose Air Force's reduction plan
Sunday, November 11, 2007
WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE — The Air Force's ongoing effort to reduce its personnel totals, to save money for new aircraft and weapons, has reached into the firefighter ranks at its bases.
Firefighters' union officials say the reductions are falling too hard on their ranks and could hurt the ability to rescue crews from downed, burning planes. The Air Force said, however, that its study concluded the reductions can be safely made.
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"A comprehensive risk assessment was conducted that led to the conclusion that excess capacity existed and 901 firefighter authorizations could be reduced without any quantifiable increased risk," said Vicki Stein, an Air Force spokeswoman at the Pentagon.
The Air Force is reducing its former authorization of 6,416 firefighter positions system-wide by 14 percent, or 901 positions, over several years. At Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, that has reduced the former authorization of 107 to 91 this year and, ultimately, 82 by Sept. 30, 2008.
"Our firefighters are among the best-trained in the world. They have state-of-the-art equipment," said Derek Kaufman, a spokesman at Wright-Patterson. "In addition, we have outstanding community support and mutual-aid agreements, which we would clearly rely on in the event of multiple, simultaneous emergencies."
The fire departments of Fairborn, Huber Heights and Bethel Twp. sent emergency vehicles to assist in August when Wright-Patterson firefighters and maintenance workers had to quickly contain a fuel spill from a C-5A Galaxy aircraft to avoid the possibility of a fire.
The International Association of Fire Fighters, which represents firefighters at Wright-Patterson and three other bases, said the Air Force should staff adequately for its needs, rather than rely on neighboring communities.
Jim Johnson, a Washington-based union vice president who previously worked at Wright-Patterson, said communities such as Fairborn already have stretched resources.
"I know they're doing what they can with their budget restraints, but throwing that responsibility on the city of Fairborn is just not right," Johnson said.
