Rochester’s fire chief says, after the first night under the department's new dynamic staffing model, there were no lapses in firefighters' response times.
Under the model, a fire company closes for a shift, leaving other companies to respond to calls. The policy is meant to curb overtime costs.
Monday night, Engine No. 1 on Monroe Avenue and Alexander Street closed down for the night, reopening early Tuesday morning.
Staffing is determined by Rochester Fire Chief Will Jackson. Tuesday, he said in a statement that there were no issues caused by the temporary closure.
“Last evening, the Rochester Fire Department began to implement dynamic staffing,” he said in the statement Tuesday. “Reviewing the data of RFD’s response times for service calls last evening, it is clear that there was no impact on response times or public safety. I will continue to review data from this initiative as its implementation continues and always act to protect the safety of the city.”