A Lexington man having severe chest pains stopped at a fire station in South Lexington Wednesday for help, only to find that no one was there.
The fire truck in Station 15 at Shillito Park had been "browned out" by the city, meaning it was out of service for the day. The city began browning out pieces of equipment earlier this year to deal with staffing and budget shortages.
An ambulance crew assigned to the fire station also was out, taking paramedic training at the fire training center on Old Frankfort Pike.
The man called 911 and waited about eight minutes for an ambulance from Southland Drive to pick him up from the vacant station and take him to the hospital, said Chris Bartley, president of the union that represents the majority of firefighters.
"The citizens expect us sometimes to be there when they go to the fire station to seek help," Bartley said. "It was an example of what these brownouts can do. You're going to have a delayed medical response sometimes."
City officials did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The union has criticized the city for instating equipment brownouts, which were announced on the heels of the retirements of 40 firefighters -- twice as many as usual.
Bartley said many of them chose to retire in response to cuts agreed to during collective bargaining, including wage freezes, limited overtime and a $100 decrease in the city's contribution to health insurance as rates increase for many city employees.
Copyright 2012 - The Lexington Herald-Leader, Ky.
McClatchy-Tribune News Service
