Firefighters aren’t capable of responding to calls within nationally recommended time frames in certain parts of Albuquerque and Bernalillo County, especially areas around the city-county border, according to a new study from the international firefighters’ union.
The study, completed earlier this month by the International Association of Firefighters, points to limited manpower, not enough firetrucks and a lack of real-time communication between the Albuquerque and Bernalillo County fire departments as primary reasons for gaps in service.
It recommends new ladder trucks for each of the departments — and staffing them with four firefighters apiece instead of three — additional pumper trucks for AFD and three new battalion commander positions for AFD.
Albuquerque Fire Chief James Breen disputed parts of the union study, saying the department is meeting national safety standards, but agreed with other aspects.
Meanwhile, as this study was being released, another was being completed by a consultant hired by Mayor Richard Berry’s administration to find ways to cut costs in city government. A draft copy of that report from Matrix Consulting Group, obtained by the Journal after a public records request, lays out a different vision of how to move the fire department forward.
As possible places to cut expenses, the Matrix report questions whether AFD is “over-responding” to fires and whether the department needs two paramedics on each rescue unit. It also recommends ending the practice of staffing the AFD dispatch center with sworn firefighters.
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