On the same day the City of Surprise broke ground on a permanent home for one fire station, the head of the Fire Fighters Association in Surprise said another station is losing a critical component.
Work on Fire Station 304 began Sept. 9 in the city’s northern section.
But an engine at Station 305, 15517 N. Parkview Place, went out of service at the same time, while the city awaits word on an extension of a federal grant to help pay for the manpower to run it.
Mike Payne, who leads the Surprise chapter of the United Phoenix union, said it’s unacceptable for the city to go without an engine to pump water to ladder trucks in the busiest section of the city.
The city, meanwhile, said it has a good backup plan in order.
“Public Safety remains a top priority for the City of Surprise and our residents,” City Manager Mike Frazier and Fire Chief Tom Abbott wrote in answers to questions the Surprise Independent submitted last week.