PEORIA, Ill. – All Peoria Fire stations are open — at least most of the time — but, concerns remain.
Engine Company Two remains open and operations as it’s funded in the city budget. But, things got to be a little difficult when it responded to the Twin Towers fire downtown over the weekend, based on international standards.
“You’re supposed to, in a normal structure fire in 8 minutes and 59 seconds, have 17 firefighters there,” said Ryan Brady, Peoria Firefighters Union Local 50 president, to 25 News. “We probably were close to accomplishing that with the Twin Towers. But when you go to the high rise structure, that number doubles.”
Brady, tells 25 News more often than not, Engine Company Two is fully staffed with firefighters working overtime. Interim Fire Chief Shawn Sollberger says he hopes to change that.
“We’re trying to get through this difficult time right now, trying to get this ‘SAFER’ grant landed as soon as possible to be able to hire eleven more people to relieve that strain,” said Sollberger.
That’s a grant through FEMA called “Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response.”
The firefighters union supports applying for that grant.
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