City Council Majority Leader Jo-Ann Ryan (Ward 5) and Councilman James E. Taylor (Ward 8) will introduce a resolution at Thursday’s Council meeting calling for the City to create a 5-year plan for the City’s aging fleet of public safety vehicles after a series of incidents with our fire trucks breaking-down.
“I was astounded to learn that we did not have a ‘plan’ for the maintenance and upkeep of our fire trucks and other safety vehicles,” stated Majority Leader Jo-Ann Ryan. “It is unacceptable that the largest Fire Department in New England has an aging fleet, has no 5-year plan for replacement and maintenance – as is the national standard, and the maintenance records are being kept manually with scant internal controls or management oversight. Due to the high cost of these vehicles, it is critical that the City’s Public Safety and Public Property departments work together to create a 5-year plan that is annually vetted by the Council. This will help ensure proper budget appropriations for the safety of the men and women of the Fire Department and that of our resident’s life and property.”
The resolution calls for the Commissioner of Public Safety and the Department of Public Property to provide a five-year safety and maintenance plan for all city-owned public safety vehicles. The plan will include condition assessments, maintenance records, replacement schedules, and a completed inventory of all public safety vehicles and must conform to minimum national industry standards. Due to the high cost for these vehicles it is critical for the City’s public safety officials make proper long-range plans. Because this hasn’t been done, the Council is planning to bring back the City’s Master Lease for review.
Councilman James E. Taylor stated, “As a former Fire Battalion Chief, I understand how critical it is to have safe fire apparatus’ for not only the men and women who serve in the Fire Department but for the residents of our City. I commend Derek Silva, President of Providence Fire Fighters IAFF Local 799, for bringing the state of our fleet to the attention of the City Council. Minimum industry standard calls to move any front-line vehicles over 15-years old to serve as a back-up for a maximum of five years and a third of our fleet is over 20-years old. It’s my sincere hope that the Mayor will allocate adequate public safety funding in his budget, including funding for a full-time Fire Chief.”
Established national standards put forth by the National Fare Protection Association calls for the maintenance and replacement of fire engines and ladder trucks no more than 15-years as a front line vehicle, with an additional five years as a reserve, prior to replacement. With a third of the City’s fleet being 20-years or older the City is creating an unnecessary safety risk for the public as well as for the personnel that have to operate those vehicles.