The following letter to the editor was submitted to This Is Reno over the past week:
Dear Editor,
When your home catches fire you want the closest fire engine to respond to minimize the damage. In the Truckee Meadows with multiple fire departments, you don’t care which one shows up, but time is of the essence.
So, consider the two homes that caught fire (from an external source) on July 6, 2022 on Oak Creek Drive in south Reno. Pursuant to the “automatic aid” agreement for fires between the City of Reno and the Truckee Meadows Fire Protection District (TMFPD), the “closest unit” is to be dispatched and respond.
For this fire, the TM#33 Foothill station was the closest and their crew and engine were in quarters and available. Reno failed to ask for TM#33 to respond. Reno fire units from much farther away did respond and the scope of the fire was found to be beyond the capabilities of their crews on four engines and a Battalion Fire Chief. Â
To add insult to injury, Reno Fire sounded a second alarm, but the now much closer TMFPD units (TM#33 and TM#36 Arrowcreek crews were in quarters and available to respond) were still not dispatched. Reno fire units from downtown had to respond with 10+ minutes response times.
Structure damage to the two homes was thus much more extensive due to Reno’s negligence.
As this is not the first such incident of its kind, perhaps Reno’s Mayor will explain this continuing malfeasance when she and her City Council members meet with the TMFPD Board of Fire Commissioners on July 22 to discuss just this type abject indifference to public safety.
Submitted by Thomas Daly
Submitted opinions do not necessarily reflect the views of This Is Reno. Have something to say? Submit an opinion article or letter to the editor here.
