As city officials consider ways to help Capital City Fire/Rescue responders with rising call volumes, members of the local firefighters’ union say one solution on the table “doesn’t even come close” to doing enough to help.
The city commissioned Missouri research firm Fitch and Associates to delve deeply into CCFR’s challenges and come up with solutions as the understaffed fire department works to keep up with an increased workload. One of the recommendations, as presented at a July 12 Committee of the Whole meeting, was to staff four new employees who would operate on 12-hour shifts.
In a press release Saturday, International Association of Firefighters Local 4303 President Travis Wolfe said a 12-hour ambulance crew won’t be enough. “The Assembly should consider providing appropriate funding to the department so we can better protect our citizens with an additional 24-hour ambulance,” Wolfe said in the release