West Scranton residents put Fire Chief Tom Davis on the hot seat Wednesday by pressing him to explain why the West Side's firehouse has been closed 82 percent of the time during July, August and September.
The Keyser Valley Citizen's Association hosted the chief at a meeting at Keyser Valley Community Center to discuss "brownouts" of Engine Company 7 on Luzerne Street that had been closed 77 days during the prior three months.
"As a neighborhood organization this concerns us, not only for Keyser Valley, but for all of West Scranton," said association President Gary DiBileo. "We have to hope that if there is a fire that it happens in the 18 percent (when Engine 7 is open). That's unacceptable."
Chief Davis said he decides on a daily basis which fire stations to brown out based on available manpower, and the city cannot afford to hire enough firefighters to keep all stations open all of the time.
"It comes down to one thing in the city of Scranton - economics," Chief Davis said.
A skeptical crowd of 60 residents, some of whom included city firefighters, became increasingly critical during the meeting and peppered the chief with questions.
"I live in West Side. I want Engine 7 open. There's nothing I can do," Chief Davis said. That prompted city fire union President John Judge to retort, "You just said you made the decisions" on Engine 7's brownouts.
Resident Steve Tabone said, "The bottom line is we need a new plan. We need a new strategy" to reduce brownouts.
Chief Davis said he would talk with the mayor today about the concerns.
The city during the past two years has struggled with firehouse closures, both permanent and temporary daily brownouts and manpower shortages.
After a fire in March in the East Mountain section had a 10-minute response time, the city found money in its budget to hire back 12 laid-off firefighters and reopen Engine Company 10 on East Mountain Road.
City Councilman Jack Loscombe of West Scranton said change would only come if citizens pressure City Hall.
Contact the writer: jlockwood@ timesshamrock.com