[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 2 (Thursday, January 6, 2011)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E16]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 FALL RIVER FIRE CHIEF FORD DOCUMENTS IMPORTANCE OF FEDERAL ASSISTANCE

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                           HON. BARNEY FRANK

                            of massachusetts

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, January 6, 2011

  Mr. FRANK of Massachusetts. Mr. Speaker, one of the most important 
things this Congress should be doing in 2011 is to continue the 
assistance we have provided to local communities, hard hit by a 
recession that they had no part in bringing about, so that they can 
maintain the essential public services necessary for the safety of 
their citizens.
  Earlier this week, I received a letter from the Fire Chief of the 
City of Fall River, Paul Ford, which explains exactly how important 
this is. I ask that Chief Ford's eloquent, persuasive letter, noting 
the lifesaving role played by the SAFER grant, be inserted here, and I 
hope that our colleagues will be instructed by it.

                                     Fire Department Headquarters,


                                     Office of the Fire Chief,

                                Fall River, MA, December 23, 2010.
     Congressman Barney Frank,
     558 Pleasant Street #309, New Bedford, MA
       Dear Congressman Frank: As you are aware, the Fall River 
     Fire Department has received a SAFER award which has allowed 
     us to rehire laid-off firefighters and hire 46 new 
     firefighters, bringing our compliment up to 2008 levels. This 
     return of staffing levels has allowed us to reopen Engine 6, 
     Engine 9, and Heavy Rescue 1.
       The previously laid-off firefighters were assigned to fire 
     companies on September 26, 2010, the start of the SAFER grant 
     performance period. The new firefighters graduated from our 
     training academy on December 17, 2010 and were assigned to 
     individual fire companies on December 19, 2010.
       Let me take this opportunity to share with you the 
     following story to illustrate how the SAFER grant has had an 
     immediate impact on protecting property and saving lives as a 
     result of adequate fire staffing:
       On the morning of December 21, 2010, a fire was reported in 
     one of the city's congested south-end residential 
     neighborhoods. Upon arrival, Acting District Chief David 
     Levesque was confronted with a six family, brick and wood 
     structure, with fire showing in one first floor apartment. 
     The fire had exited out into the interior stairway and was 
     traveling upwards toward the second floor. Initial reports 
     indicated that a person was trapped on the third floor.
       Taking command of the fire scene, A/DC Levesque initiated a 
     coordinated, combined fire attack and rescue operation. 
     Engine companies were ordered to attack the fire on the first 
     floor and check for extension and protect the second floor. 
     Heavy Rescue 1 was immediately sent to the third floor for 
     rescue operations.
       Rescue 1, which had previously been out of service due to 
     reduced staffing, had a crew of three firefighters. This 
     included Acting Lieutenant Matt Camara and Firefighter Mark 
     Medeiros, both of whom were laid-off and returned through the 
     SAFER grant. The third Medeiros, both of whom were laid-off 
     and returned through the SAFER grant. The third member was 
     Probationary Firefighter Glen Edington, also a SAFER awardee, 
     serving his first tour of duty with the Fall River Fire 
     Department.
       Upon entering the structure and making their way to the 
     third floor, all three members began a primary search of that 
     floor. PFF Edington, utilizing a thermal imagining camera, 
     located the victim lying on the floor. He and FE Medeiros 
     followed their training, quickly removed the victim from the 
     apartment, and descended down two flights of stairs to 
     awaiting medical rescue crews. At the time of this writing, 
     while in critical condition, the victim is alive.
       If this fire had taken place prior to the funding of the 
     SAFER grant, neither they nor any Heavy Rescue crew would 
     have been on scene that morning. The outcome for that victim 
     and her family could have been much different.
       Furthermore, the additional staffing afforded to this 
     department allowed us to continue to protect the rest of the 
     city's citizens without calling in emergency overtime 
     firefighters or utilizing the increased mutual aid responses 
     we had come to rely on. This mutual aid, while appreciated, 
     was further reducing the firefighting forces in those 
     communities due to our decreased staffing levels.
       This situation is a clear example of why adequate staffing 
     is so vital to the mission of the fire service in general, 
     and specifically to this city and department.
       I thank you, on behalf of the citizens of this city and the 
     members of this fire department, for your support with this 
     much needed grant opportunity.
           Sincerely,
                                                     Paul D. Ford,
     Fire Chief.

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