Response slowed if Ladder 25 lost

WEST TOLEDO - The Toledo Fire Department's Ladder truck 25 is in service right now, but that's only because a temporary restraining order is in place - stopping the Finkbeiner administration from taking it out of commission.

Still, there is, though, a possibility of eliminating the ladder truck.

Back in February Mayor Carty Finkbeiner proposed a new 14-point budget plan outline. In it includes calls for Toledo Firefighter's Union Local 92 to take two fire rigs out of service and reduce its daily minimum staffing of uniformed officers.

If Ladder 25 is decommissioned, it would change how firefighters respond to the University of Toledo. Station No. 25 is on Central Avenue, just a couple of blocks from campus, and makes a lot of runs to UT.

Deputy Chief Brian Byrd said that the thought of being without the ladder truck could cause problems with that process.

If Station No. 25 is taken out of service, Deputy Chief Byrd said the next closest ladder truck servicing the UT campus would be truck seven on West Bancroft Street and Franklin Avenue.

Ladder truck 4, located on Hill Avenue, responds to some parts of the University of Toledo campus, but still Deputy Chief Byrd says without Station No. 25 it would take longer to respond to a fire.

The deputy chief also added if any ladder truck is eliminated, it hurts the department's opportunity to get to upper story windows. For example, if there was a dorm fire, it could make the situation worse.

He says the thought of having less resources to tackle the number of floors and rooms is scary.

"You never like to see reductions in that area," said Chief Jeff Newson, University of Toledo Police Department. "I understand that the fiscal times right now are extremely difficult, and this is certainly a demonstration of that."

The Finkbeiner administration wanted to save money by making the changes to the fire department. That's why there was a push to get rid of two fire trucks and reduce manpower.

But as it stands, Union Local 92's restraining order prevents those actions. Meanwhile, negotiations between the city and the union are still ongoing.