Ladder 9 out of service in Springfield

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) - A Springfield fire truck that made more than 1000 runs in 2010 is out of service and there isn't another truck to replace it.  
 
22News discovers what this means for the cities fire coverage.

The Ladder 9 truck on Carew Street has been parked since July.  Some neighbors are worried about their fire protection.  The fire department says it all comes down to money.  

"Our goal is to get that truck back in service as quickly as we can, but the administration of the department.  the department has to live within its budget that its been given", says Dennis Leger, Executive Aide to the Fire Commissioner.

With Ladder 9 is out of service, it leaves a coverage gap on the north side of the city.

One concerned neighbor didn't want us to use his name.  
"It's just like saying you take the police department and only have one cruiser cover the city of Springfield."

The Springfield Fire Department does have four other ladder trucks in the city.  Leger told 22News there is little difference in their response times.  

"The response times have not gone up, they're still within the three minute time frame.  You're going to have a engine company and a Chief there in three minutes and it may take a minute or two more for the 2nd or 3rd engine or ladder to get there, that's not out of the norm", says Leger.

A ladder truck does not provide water to put out a fire, but this truck does have the jaws of life and helps in other rescue efforts.   

22News obtained documents showing how often Ladder 9 has been used.  In 2009, Ladder 9 made 432 runs.  In 2010 Ladder 9 made 1182 runs  A run is any call the truck leaves the station for not just for fires.  

"With the closing of Ladder 9 its not the greatest thing, so now all of the ladders that we got have to come from the other side of the city", says the neighbor.  

Leger told 22News it's an issue the fire department deals with every day, when Ladder 9 is in or out of service.  
"If you look inside this station, there's no one there, they're out on calls.  So if a call comes from this building next door, someone is going to come from another location to the building, but usually its still within that critical three minute time frame", says Leger.
 
Leger told 22News he doesn't know when Ladder 9 will be back in service, but it will be as soon as there is enough money available in the overtime account. Leger says the city can handle two good sized fires on opposite ends of the city at the same time, with three they'll need outside help.