City-County Turf Wars Over Fire Jurisdiction?

KOAT - When someone in Albuquerque calls 911, they usually expect to get help right away. But, firefighters said residents are getting shortchanged because of politics, and it could cost someone their life. Some firefighters said they believe county fire crews should have responded when a drunken driving suspect crashed into a home and exploded into a ball of fire. However, county crews couldn't, because the home was within city limits.
"There was a county fire station, Station 36, which was about a mile away," said Robert Sanchez, the vice president of the Albuquerque Area Firefighters Union Local 244. Jurisdictional boundaries prevent the closest fire crews from responding, and Sanchez said an agreement between the city and county hasn't been made for years.
"We've been asking for several years now, 'Why hasn't it been signed?'" he said. City Fire Deputy Chief Tige Watson said that finally, this summer, the jurisdictional boundaries will be dropped, and both the city and county are preparing for the change. "They're training on it right now," Watson said. "Like I said, this is something that's never been done. I don't think they care which primary firefighters show up, which color the engine they're in -- red, purple green. I don't think it matters at that point," Sanchez said. Read full story here: News New Mexico

City-County Turf Wars Over Fire Jurisdiction?