DUBUQUE, Iowa (KCRG) – After a Massachusetts fire department spoke out against short staffing following a deadly nursing home fire, our coverage partner KCRG reports Dubuque firefighters are citing the same issues.
According to Dubuque’s Firefighter Union, Dubuque’s fire stations don’t have enough people to meet safety standards. Union President Will Sullivan, who has been a firefighter in Dubuque for eight years, says they feel the effects.
The National Fire Protection Association recommends each ladder and engine truck have a minimum of four people on it when responding to emergencies, but out of Dubuque’s six fire stations, none of them meet this recommendation.
Fire Chief Amy Scheller says it comes down to two things: money and resources, and despite the city helping to bring on 10 new personnel over the last three years, it’s not enough to solve the problem.
