By MES Dispatch Staff
The Briefing
- The Danielson Fire Department in Connecticut began a stand-down Wednesday, citing insufficient protective gear to safely respond to calls.
- Officials say the department has only eight usable sets of PPE for 19 interior firefighters, none of which properly fit.
- The department will rely on mutual aid agencies to cover the borough during the stand-down, which officials said will last at least 15 days unless a full gear replacement plan is presented.
- Fire officials blame the Danielson Borough Council for not addressing the equipment shortage; council members did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
- The Danielson Firefighter’s Association said crews had to use mismatched gear during a fire last month that killed 30 cats and injured two people.
DANIELSON, Conn. — The Danielson Fire Department began a stand-down Wednesday, saying it does not have enough protective gear to safely send firefighters into burning buildings, according to a department Facebook post.
Officials said the department has 32 active members, including 19 interior firefighters and four trainees, but only eight sets of usable personal protective equipment, none of which properly fits. “We can not in good heart have our members responding to calls without being equipped with the proper PPE necessary to keep our members safe while giving you the best care possible,” the department said in its post.
The department said it is coordinating with mutual aid agencies to ensure emergency coverage for the borough during the stand-down, which officials said will last a minimum of 15 days unless a full plan is presented to replace and distribute usable gear.
Fire officials placed responsibility for the shortage on the Danielson Borough Council, saying the issue has not been addressed by the governing body. Council members did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The Danielson Firefighter’s Association, a nonprofit formed by borough firefighters to support the department, said the gear shortage created problems during a fire on Hawkins Street last month that killed 30 cats and injured two people, forcing crews to “scramble and piece together mismatched gear” before entering the building.