Corpus Christi Firefighters Promote Fire Safety

April 05--CORPUS CHRISTI -- Because they say the city fire department is underfunded and not adequately staffed, the Corpus Christi Professional Firefighters Association is launching a public safety program for residents to help save lives and property.

The new program, called "Become a Hero," will include town hall meetings, billboards and the use of social media to educate the public about fire safety and reducing liability, association President Carlos Torres Jr. said at a news conference Friday.

"It's time to put it in the hands of the citizens," Torres declared about the public safety issue, standing with a large group of association firefighters before a podium.

Torres and Corpus Christi Fire Capt. Scott Moreland said the need for the "Be a Hero" program comes from a shortage of firefighters in accordance with the National Fire Protection Association Standard 1710, which sets policies on staffing. The standard states there should be a minimum of four on-duty personnel for engine companies, which pump and deliver water, and ladder and truck companies, which are responsible for search and rescue and forcible entry.

Moreland said there are three firefighters, who are also paramedics, on each truck instead of four, and that the city has minimum daily staffing of 96. Moreland said the department needs 104 or more firefighters to operate each day. The firefighters association wants to reach the national staffing standard to provide adequate public safety, he said.

A recent report the city had prepared by MGT of America, a consulting firm, said the department was adequately staffed and met the National Fire Protection standard.

Fire Chief Robert Rocha said he banks on the recommendations of a committee member from the National Fire Protection Association he appointed to work with MGT as they prepared the report.

The committee member, Brian Voss, attended all MGT meetings and understands the standards, Rocha said.

"He was a part of the study and came back with recommendations," Rocha said, adding that he stood by the MGT report.

The report was the culmination of five months of data gathering and analysis, according to the document. The city hired the firm for $97,000 for the analysis.

Because the analysis indicated the department is properly staffed, there is no expectation the study will result in increases or decreases in staffing, officials said.

Moreland cautioned city officials will point to the Fire Academy's 34 graduates and say there will be 34 more firefighters on the streets.

"But most of those people have been on the streets for over a year," Moreland said about the cadets.

Rocha countered that the department hired 40 people for the Academy in January 2014, and that eight of those were alternative hires who would go through an abbreviated training because they had some firefighting experience. He said he hired the cadets using a federal grant specifically for fire department staffing.

"They've only been on the street since late last year," Rocha said.

City of Corpus Christi Communications Director Kim Womack said the city stands by the MGT's findings.

She pointed to another factor that might play into the Firefighters Association's decision to launch the safety program: they will begin negotiations with the city on a new contract within a month.

"Their contract with the city ends July 31," she said.