They’re exhausted.
We told you Monday night about the shortage at the federal fire department tasked with keeping Naval Station Great Lakes safe, and how that shortage is affecting surrounding communities.
On Tuesday, CBS 2’s Tara Molina took concerns to our elected officials. She learned that members of Congress are also asking the Navy why the shortage, and the issues it is creating, are not being addressed.
The Great Lakes Fire Department is 12 people short, with more headed out the door – and they’re exhausted.
Brian Pagliaroni – a Great Lakes firefighter, paramedic, and president of the IAFF Local F-37 –put it point blank.
“It’s hard to basically do a job when you are mentally drained,” he said. “When you’re on 16 calls a day, there’s no rest… it’s not safe. At all.”
Often times, firefighters at Great Lakes working five days in a row, 120 hours straight to make up for the number of people who’ve left and are gearing up to leave.