By Jeff Shields
The Philadelphia Inquirer
PHILADELPHIA — Philadelphia’s state-appointed overseers have agreed to fund an in-depth study of the city’s firefighting needs, conscious of their role in toning down the politics and emotion in the continuing debate over Fire Department staffing.
The Pennsylvania Intergovernmental Cooperation Authority (PICA), the board that approves the mayor’s five-year budget plan, agreed in a 5-0 vote Tuesday to commission a study estimated to cost between $350,000 and $450,000.
The report, to be compiled by a consultant chosen in cooperation with Mayor Nutter and the International Association of Fire Fighters, would look at all aspects of firefighting, from emergency medical response to facilities and equipment. It would be completed by the fall of 2011 under a timeline discussed at PICA’s monthly board meeting Tuesday.
The Fire Department, with more than 2,100 firefighters, handles 221,000 emergency medical calls and 48,000 fire calls annually.
The city closed seven fire companies in 2009 and now operates an alternating system of closures that takes three companies out of service at any given time. With criticism from firefighters that cuts have been made for budgetary reasons without proper regard for public safety, both the city and the Philadelphia firefighters union have agreed that an independent look at what is safe and feasible is needed.
With the city strapped for cash, it was Eryn M. Santamoor, director of strategic initiatives for Everett Gillison, deputy mayor for public safety, who determined that PICA could fund such a study, as Pittsburgh’s own state oversight agency did in 2008. PICA’s decision Tuesday came at the request of the Nutter administration with support from City Council and Bill Gault, president of Local 22 of the firefighters union.
PICA Chairman James Eisenhower said Tuesday he hoped the board would be seen as “the logical and impartial body to conduct” the study.
Gault said Tuesday he was confident that all sides could agree on a consultant who would prepare a fair report.
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