Fire department source says Detroit lacks adequate fire coverage

Old fire trucks breaking down, leaving DFD short handed

DETROIT – Detroit has new police cars and new EMS units, but firefighters are still waiting for their new trucks.

Sources say the gap in the city has never been bigger: Old fire trucks are breaking down, going out of service and forcing other companies to cover more and more territory.

A source within the Detroit Fire Department said that "in no way is there adequate fire coverage in the city of Detroit right now."

On Monday, when a fire broke out at a home on Biltmore Street, three neighbors saved the woman inside. They also knew that a fire house is one minute from the home.

"Fire station took close to 10 to 12 [minutes]," one of the rescuers said. "I don't understand, right up the street."

The city says the engine was out of service for 90 minutes getting new tires. Other crews had to cover.

One, three and a half miles away at Puritan and Meyers, arrived in seven minutes, according to the city. Another was six miles away at John R Freeway and 7 Mile Road. The city says that one arrived in 11 minutes.

We're told the department has never been stretched so thin in terms of covering for trucks in the repair shop. For instance, there is no fire engine at the fire house at Greenfield and Finkell because it's out covering another area.

The city says help is on the way and that new trucks are coming over the summer. But some department chiefs want to lease trucks to cover the gaps until the new trucks are delivered.


About the Author:

Local 4 Defender Shawn Ley is an Emmy award-winning journalist who has been with Local 4 News for more than a decade.