Response Times Unaffected by IL Station Closure

July 01 -- DANVILLE, IL – Fire Station No. 4 on East Main Street closed one year ago.

City officials say the city’s fire response still is as strong with three stations instead of four stations.

“There hasn’t been any dramatic shift in response times …,” said Mayor Scott Eisenhauer. “We are not seeing a significant difference in the way we’re able to provide fire service to our citizens.”

He said some of the times make a difference in where the fire truck starts from, such as if it’s away from a fire station when an alarm comes in.

In terms of monetary savings, Eisenhauer said the minimum manning at 13 firefighters is why the city is not seeing significant savings yet, due to overtime and calling in firefighters for extra help.

“That number should be nine to 10,” Eisenhauer said.

He thinks concerns have been answered in that fire response times are really “no different” than when the city responded to calls with four stations. The city still has fire stations on West Seminary, North Vermilion and Griffin streets.

Danville Public Safety Director Larry Thomason also said about response times, “I haven’t seen a real change in that regards. Each station has a fire response area and they have been handling those areas very well.”

Thomason said the ability to get units to a first alarm fire incident has been following the same procedures prior to closing one of the fire stations.

“Overall it’s been working very well. No one has gone unattended to my knowledge and no fire has gone unattended to my knowledge,” Thomason said.

He said some responses are quicker in some instances because firefighters are doing inspections and other activities with the units and are at a different location than a fire station.

“Overall, I’ve not seen any negative changes,” Thomason said, adding that he doesn’t believe train traffic hasn’t resulted in significant delays.

He said fire personal are very cognizant of alternative routes and quick decisions that need to be made.

Assistant Fire Chief Todd Spicer and other firefighters declined to comment.

Some east side neighbors have asked what is happening with the former fire station building. The fire station still isn’t being used for OSF HealthCare ambulances as yet.

According to Bob Holloway, director of OSF PRO Ambulance, "the East Main Street station isn’t quite fully operational. We are finishing improvements and installation of IT equipment. We are however, looking forward to its completion. Once completed, we will deploy ambulances from both the East Main Street station and Voorhees Street station. We believe this will allow us to better serve the City of Danville and its citizens.”

The city rezoned and is leasing the former fire station.

The property at 1711 E. Main St., the former Fire Station No. 4, was rezoned from R2 single-family, medium density zoning to B2 highway business zoning to allow for OSF PRO Ambulance service to use the building. The lease agreement is for OSF to pay the city $2,000 a month for two years with the option to extend the agreement. There are percentage increases if the option is exercised in years 3-5.

Eisenhauer said the city will receive $24,000 per year up to five years rather than all $60,000 projected up front as part of fire division savings.

Response times

It was within the first month of Station 4 being closed when a fire occurred at Motel 6 on Eastgate Drive. Response time to that fire was 7 minutes and 4 seconds in zone 3.

Firefighters responded to the motel structure which was not occupied at the time due to renovations. The structure fire, however, was close to other parts of the motel that were in use. Hotel damage ended up being about $270,000.

According to information from city hall, for structure fire alarm calls from January 2017 to June 2017, prior to the East Main Street fire station closing, average response times from each of the four stations were: 4 minutes and 38 seconds from Station 1 on Seminary Street, 6 minutes and 8 seconds from Station 2 on North Vermilion Street, 6:04 minutes from Station 3 on Griffin Street and 4:24 from Station 4 on East Main. Overall average response time to 36 calls during that time was 5:11.

Of 36 alarm calls from July 2017 to December 2017, Station 1’s average response time was 3:58 minutes, Station 2 was about 4.49 and Station 3 was 4:41. Overall average response time was 4:38. Of 23 structure fire calls from Jan. 2018 to the end of May 2018, Station 1’s average response was 4:35; Station 2: 4:45 and Station 3: 4:55. Overall average response time was 4 minutes and 47 seconds.

For total average response time for the city's 2017-2018 fiscal year from May 1, 2017, to April 30, 2018, it was 4:53, for 74 structure fire calls. In 2016-2017, it was 4:24 for 56 total fires.

At a public meeting regarding the station closure in June 2017, some east-side residents voiced concerns about not having as quick response from firefighters.

A city committee, consisting of firefighters, recommended the closure of Fire Station 4 instead of Fire Station 3 in the city as a budgetary cost-savings measure.

Residents said seconds matter in response times. They didn’t want to see any fire station close.

Maps at the public meeting last year showed areas of the city are still reachable within 5-minute fire response times with Station 4’s closure, except for the Lynch Road area.

Thomason then said “it is very, very difficult to determine an emergency response to a location,” which can depend on factors such as traffic including trains, the time of day and weather conditions.

Firefighters didn’t support the closure of any fire station, but the city council already had made that decision.

The committee’s reasons to close Station 4 included: it was the only station a fire truck can’t come into the back of the building, which causes safety issues for firefighters; firefighters moved into Station 3 immediately without renovations; and Station 3 has equipment storage space, parking areas for additional personnel and room for training. Station 3 is 13,923 square feet while Station 4 is 3,742 square feet.

Committee members also looked at issues with the manufacturers around Lynch Road and the Eastgate and Southgate areas that have sprinkler systems and their own fire safety personnel, and being in immediate proximity to hazardous materials and other specialized equipment and its own leadership and administrative support services.

When the station was closing, Ward 4 Alderman Mike O’Kane said some citizens will suffer with longer response times. He voted for the closure stating “with a sword over my head ready to drop on me.”

Last week, O'Kane said he doesn't hear the sirens like he used to near his house, with the fire trucks taking different routes. He also said sometimes two fires can occur at the same time, still causing issues.

But, O'Kane added he'd rather have more firefighters than pay for the costs of a fourth station.

The Danville City Council voted 12-1, with one alderman absent, to close Fire Station 4.

Some residents have said they’re concerned of not having firefighters be the first responders for emergency calls on the east side.

City resident Shirlee Fraley said she remains concerned about railroad tracks.

“I was and am still concerned if something drastic happens out there,” she said about the east side with the Veterans Affairs Illiana Health Care System, Danville Area Community College and businesses, and the city trying to develop the East Main Street Corridor.

“I know finances are hard for the city,” she added.

___ (c)2018 the Commercial-News (Danville, Ill.) Visit the Commercial-News (Danville, Ill.) at www.commercial-news.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.