I had read parts of the "Berkshire " study of the Philadelphia fire department and it really arouses my suspicions as to the distinct possibility of behind the scenes political manipulation, as at first the study says that 10 new Ladder companies need to be put in service, while eliminating 7 additional Engine companies (down to 48 from 55) and then in a following chapter all of a sudden the so called study is recommending the Philadelphia only maintain 20 Ladder companies ,while because of two recommended fire station re/locations they futher reduce the Engine companies recommendations to 46.
The study also did a poor job of reviewing the Ladder companies because if you look at the Ladder company maps in the study they don't include Tower Ladders 6 and 22 and Snorkels 2 and 28 which happen to run as Ladder companies.
It is also odd that while there aren't enough Ambulances to meet the current demand for EMS service they want to add Ambulances (which is fine) so that some of the Ambulance crews can do "fire duty" and act as a "Flying Squad". The report also starts claiming that ambulances are needed for fire suppression duty. If the fire suppression duty is other then first aid service then the Ambulances are being taken away from their primary function of EMS service. These additional "fire suppression" ambulances are being used as an excuse to eliminate 7 additional Ladder companies as opposed to adding 10 of them that the report initially claims are needed in Philadelphia. So the report seems to end up contradicting itself.
Instead of using Ambulances as "flying squads" when they could be better used for what an Ambulance is intended to be used for, then why don't they just ad more Squad companies whose job is to back up companies on working fires?
The study also did a poor job of reviewing the Ladder companies because if you look at the Ladder company maps in the study they don't include Tower Ladders 6 and 22 and Snorkels 2 and 28 which happen to run as Ladder companies.
It is also odd that while there aren't enough Ambulances to meet the current demand for EMS service they want to add Ambulances (which is fine) so that some of the Ambulance crews can do "fire duty" and act as a "Flying Squad". The report also starts claiming that ambulances are needed for fire suppression duty. If the fire suppression duty is other then first aid service then the Ambulances are being taken away from their primary function of EMS service. These additional "fire suppression" ambulances are being used as an excuse to eliminate 7 additional Ladder companies as opposed to adding 10 of them that the report initially claims are needed in Philadelphia. So the report seems to end up contradicting itself.
Instead of using Ambulances as "flying squads" when they could be better used for what an Ambulance is intended to be used for, then why don't they just ad more Squad companies whose job is to back up companies on working fires?