An out-of-service aerial and the inability to pay to repair it were among four factors that led to the amputation of a veteran Rhode Island firefighter's foot, according to the department's injury report.
A Pawtucket firefighter was hurt May 15 while trying to rescue a woman from the top floor of a burning three-story apartment building, WPRI-TV reports. The injury happened when the aerial was moved closer to the window where the woman was.
On calls like this, a second aerial would be on the scene, but that apparatus was not in service because the department was unable to pay for repairs to it, according to the report, which also pointed to issues over training.
"Lack of training, due to the department's unwillingness to provide monies or time off for training, making training the lowest of priorities," the report stated, according to WPRI.
Assistant Fire Chief Jay McLaughlin, who wrote the report, would not comment on the findings. The city also would not comment about how long the aerial was out of commission, when it was repaired and how much those repairs cost, the TV station reports.
