NORTH TONAWANDA, N.Y. (WKBW) — Starting February 2, two North Tonawanda fire stations will no longer be staffed 24/7, as the department trials a staffing model that Chief Douglas Orlowski believes will improve responses.
During the trial, Orlowski says the stations at the corner of Deerfield and Nash, as well as Payne and Walck, will temporarily not be staffed.
WATCH: For approx. a month’: North Tonawanda to trial end to 24/7 staffing at two fire stations
Instead, he will be shifting those firefighters to the city’s other three stations, so there are always at least two people on every truck.
At minimum staffing, the current policy is that one firefighter drives the truck to an active scene, while others responding from home, both off-duty career and volunteer, drive their personal vehicles to the scene.
"So, if you call 911, the fire engine has two people on it, not one," Orlowski said. "Trying to put more manpower on scene in a timelier fashion."
The new model will have more people on scene immediately, but with fewer trucks, at least until backup arrives.
Should a serious situation arise, the two trucks at the unstaffed stations will still sit ready to go.
"Stations will still have a vehicle in there fully stocked. It’ll be in-service, unstaffed. But the off-duty career guys can come to the station, grab that vehicle and respond if needed," Orlowski said.
Orlowski tells me he’s run the numbers himself, and response times won’t be impacted in any major way. With dwindling volunteer numbers, he feels this change is a necessity.
He tells me the extra set of hands in every truck will help in several ways, from 'spotting' for a driver who is driving to a scene with lights and sirens on to lifting things once on scene.
"I trust my department heads to make the right decisions. I value their opinions and like it when they come up with new ideas," Mayor Austin Tylec said.
Orlowski tells me that if the trial goes well, they’ll likely need to hire more firefighters. Tylec said that he is open to that suggestion.
