Deadly Gabriel House fire prompts agreement to add staffing at Fall River Fire Department
Officials announced Wednesday that the fire at the Gabriel House assisted living home in Fall River, Massachusetts that killed nine people led to an agreement to make staffing additions to the Fall River Fire Department.
Nine people over 60 years old died late Sunday night when the fire broke out. Another 30 people were hurt, and two remain in critical condition as of Wednesday afternoon.
Fall River Fire Department staffing
The day after the fire, the firefighters' union said the Fall River Fire Department was understaffed.
Edward Kelly, the general president of the International Association of Fire Fighters, said that if the department had been staffed properly, there would have been eight more firefighters on scene.
"The staffing issues in Fall River aren't just a Fall River problem," Kelly said. "They are in places all over Massachusetts and beyond. And the lesson here is we don't want to have the conversation after the tragedy."
The recommendation by the National Fire Protection Association is four firefighters per fire engine. Fall River operated with three until the agreement was reached.
On Wednesday, Kelly, Fall River Mayor Paul Coogan, and Fall River Fire Chief Jeffrey Bacon held a press conference to announce that negotiations led to an increase of $1.5 million to the fire department budget.
Ten firetrucks go out per shift, and currently only two trucks had the minimum staffing standard of four firefighters. Coogan said that is how the city has operated for about 20 years.
As of 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, that increased to six trucks with four firefighters.
"Critically important" staffing changes
Bacon said in the short term, the gap will be filled with overtime because it takes 9 to 12 months to complete the hiring process. But over the next two years, Bacon expects the department will hire 15-20 firefighters.
"We wanted to make sure we had the funding necessary. And in conversations with both the governor and our congressmen, there's a light at the end of the tunnel that I believe will help us and if it isn't, we have the funds available to do this. That was the issue back and forth," Coogan said.
Kelly said maintaining minimal staffing levels is "critically important to public safety and firefighter safety."
"I want to commend Mayor Coogan for stepping up and moving us in the right direction, making sure that we are bringing up those staffing levels significantly in the city," Kelly said. "It doesn't get us to where we want to be, but we're committed to work with the mayor, with the City of Fall River, with the fire chief, with our federal and state partners to make sure this gets done."
Bacon said staffing has been a top concern since his first interview for the job when he met Coogan.
"That will allow us to effect faster fire suppression efforts, faster rescues, and allow our firefighters to work safer, which in turn makes every citizen of the city safer," Bacon said.
