From the Bensenville Professional Firefighters Association, Local 2968 Facebook page:

Last week, this lone firefighter was protecting the town of Bensenville all by himself for about 20 minutes. Multiple calls needed the attention of 7 out of the 8 staffed firefighters. If the same events last year, it would have been 7 firefighters out of 11, if we were fully staffed for that day. 1 firefighter protecting the residents, instead of a possibility of 4, is a recipe for disaster. If any additional calls were to come in at that time, then the surrounding towns would have had to come into Bensenville, thus increasing the time you’re waiting for an ambulance or fire vehicle. Thankfully, there were no additional emergencies while the firefighter was by himself.

Some misinformation that has been shared is that we are implying if our referendum passes, that this dangerous situation or others like it will NEVER occur. Unfortunately, NO amount of staffing can completely prevent fatalities or prevent fires from destroying property. Increased staffing only DECREASES the PROBABILITY of events like this from occuring. Last year, when fully staffed, we had 11 firefighters on shift. Now, when fully staffed, we have 8 and if the referendum doesn’t pass we could go down to 5 firefighters a day. This INCREASES the chances that Bensenville resources will NOT be available when you call 911. Please vote yes for our referendum so we may increase our staffing back to a maximum of 11 firefighters a day.

#helpbfpd2

Bensenville Professional Firefighters Association, Local 2968 photo

Tags: Bensenville Fire Department, Bensenville Professional Firefighters Association Local 2968, chicagoareafire.com, fire department cuts staffing