By FireRescue1 Staff
HOUSTON — Firefighters are questioning the safety of their fire stations after continuously dealing with the issue of brown, contaminated tap water.
Click 2 Houston reported that at least two Houston Fire Department stations have intermittently experienced the issue, and one station has gone through a years-long problem of human feces flowing through a shower drain.
“We’ve had some contaminated water issues. As soon as we hear about those, we immediately try to get some fresh bottled water dispensers out to the guys. We really want to protect their health and safety,” Assistant Chief Ruy Lozano said.
Houston Fire Department spokesperson Sheldra Brigham said the city has been working to fix the issues, but other sources said they don’t think the problems have been properly addressed.
“This has been going on for years, the old iron pipe under the station is busted,” one source said.
Houston Professional Fire Fighters Association president Patrick Lancton said “firefighters continue to be concerned.”
“We hope the city of Houston recognizes that it must better maintain the facilities and fleet for HFD to continue delivering excellent service. We appreciate the efforts of city workers to restore a safe water supply at Station 23,” Lancton said.
Chief Lozano urged firefighters to come to him directly to report health issues.
“Email me directly. If I have to get out of my office and go down there directly, that’s what we’ll do.”