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SCRANTON, PA—The city closed a fire station in Scranton on Saturday to avoid calling in firefighters from across all three work shifts to keep it open, and avoid “cross-contamination” of possible exposure to the coronavirus, acting Fire Chief Al Lucas said.
No firefighter has the virus and the city wants to keep it that way, Lucas said.
But the firefighters’ union opposes the closure of the Truck Company 4 station on North Main Avenue, and put up a sign outside the station that says, “Tell Mayor Cognetti we need firefighters on the front line,” and urging the public to call or email Mayor Paige Gebhardt Cognetti to keep the station open.
Fire union president Jim Sable sees the closure mainly as a move by the administration to save money on overtime in case city tax revenues tank from the pandemic. But Sable said the city could continue staffing the station as usual and apply for reimbursement for overtime from the federal Stafford Act.
“I understand she’s worried (about city finances) but she doesn’t have to be worried on the fire department side, not when the city can get reimbursed” for overtime, Sable said.
But Lucas said the station was not closed for monetary reasons, but rather so firefighters from other shifts won’t be needed to keep it open. Federal reimbursement for overtime incurred would be sought, as occurs in any emergency, Lucas said.
“I have to protect these guys from cross-contamination,” by preventing “commingling” of firefighters across the three work shifts, Lucas said.
If firefighters were to commingle across the three shifts, as had been routine before the coronavirus outbreak, and one came down now with the illness, tracing potential exposures across three shifts would be much more difficult and could require multiple, untenable quarantines, Lucas said.
Sable noted no firefighter has the virus and they’re willing to give up vacations and holidays to keep the station open. Sable also believes the Truck 4 station closure compromises safety, because Truck 4 is the backup for Engine 7 in West Side and Engine 8 in North Scranton.
Lucas said safety will not be compromised.
“I can assure all Scrantonians that the fire department is ready, able and adequately staffed to handle any emergencies that may arise,” Lucas said. “The administration has been dealing with this issue for weeks with the safety of the public and our personnel safety foremost in mind.”
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