Excerpts from WISN.com:
The Milwaukee Fire Department held a ribbon-cutting ceremony Monday morning, commemorating its recommissioning of Engine Company 28, and reopening of Fire Station 28 located at 424 North 30th St. in Milwaukee.
The recommissioning is part of a pilot program made possible because of the Shared Services Program, which now includes all 14 fire departments throughout Milwaukee County.
Fire officials said reopening the station will improve responses to fire and emergency medical services requests.
A Wauwatosa fire engine will be repositioned to the Milwaukee fire station, which is a mutually beneficial move for both cities. It allows the MFD to have a fire engine in a previously shuttered station.
In exchange, Wauwatosa will be able to work out of Milwaukee’s Fire Station 35 at 64th and Fairview.
The fire department said taxpayer dollars will remain the same despite the resource shake-up.
The Milwaukee Fire Department said this is the first additional engine and station added to the department’s resources since 1956.
This partnership is a temporary pilot project. If there is a substantial shake-up in the fire system or budget, Wauwatosa will get its engine back.
thanks Crabby
#1 by John Antkowski on January 25, 2023 - 9:44 AM
All they did was move Engine 35 to 30th and Clybourn. And move a Wauwatosa Engine to Engine 35’s quarters. The news reporter was wrong that Fire Engine she was standing by was Engine 35 re numbered Engine 28. Tosa’s apparatus has a black over red scheme for their rigs. I’m not sure for how long. It would be nice if Milwaukee could add or put back the 12 positions keep both open. Engine 28 and Engine 31 were poor decisions to close. But it’s politics. It was nice to see Engine 28 up and running. I enjoyed working there.
#2 by Crabbymilton on January 25, 2023 - 1:56 AM
That Channel 12 reporter gave the impression that the rig was a Wauwatosa rig repainted. Some of these reporters I really wonder about. This MABAS or shared service makes some sense depending on geographic area so you might say it’s a de facto Milwaukee County department but as it should, all respective departments should still have their own command structure. The very last thing you would ever want to do is merge them into one and place them under control of Milwaukee County government. Milwaukee County has a very long history of dysfunctional and incompetent leadership.
#3 by Dan on January 25, 2023 - 12:40 AM
This makes absolutely no sense at all.
The station on 30th ST is 30 blocks from the Wauwatosa far eastern border.
And which engine company will Tosa sacrifice to staff Milwaukee as they only have 3 engines.
And why would Tosa want to work out of a station that is close to a very small area in Tosa and in an area that doesn’t get very many runs?
This is a head scratcher.
#4 by Joe Smith on January 24, 2023 - 6:01 PM
Milwaukee and it’s suburbs have not always had a good relationship, but budget issues affecting every unit of local government in Wisconsin have encouraged them to set aside their differences and work together for their mutual benefit. It is a win-win situation, MFD does not need to provide a full first alarm response to every remote corner of the city, and the suburbs each have the full resources of MFD available should a major incident occur. There is a precedent in the paramedic program, which is funded at the county level, and which has generally assigned the nearest available unit, regardless of which department name is on the side.
#5 by Tyler Tobolt on January 24, 2023 - 4:31 PM
Alan,
They basically are already, they do what’s called “Shared Services” where they will pick the closest apparatus to a call. For example there could be a house fire in Milwaukee and only 1-2 Milwaukee rigs go and all of another town goes due to who is being closest. Milwaukee county works real nice with each other
#6 by Alan Fricker on January 24, 2023 - 2:35 PM
Why not just merge all these departments into one county fire department? This is a small step in that direction. I know I’m going to get a lot of pushback, but I don’t see how long term these departments are going to survive as separate units.
#7 by crabbymilton on January 24, 2023 - 12:42 PM
Whether they admit it or not, it was mistake to close fire stations. However based on the geography where Tosa and Milwaukee are twisted together in this particular section of Milwaukee County, it does make sense considering the less than ideal circumstances in Milwaukee. Perhaps West Allis could house make use of the old E25 station since that’s right on the border too. Time will tell and we’ll see how this works out for now.
#8 by Tyler Tobolt on January 24, 2023 - 12:40 PM
Tim,
Tosa Engine 51 is moving to St 35 and being renumbered to Engine 55.
Engine 35 moved to Station 28 and being changed to Engine 28
Compressed Air 1 which was at St 35 got moved to Station 1 (Downtown) and Car 14 (Fire Investigator) got moved from Station 2 to Station 28 now.
#9 by Mike on January 24, 2023 - 12:36 PM
This is ridiculous. There is nothing to celebrate. This is the suburbs bailing out Milwaukee, again. Milwaukee has reduced manpower and cut companies for a very long time. Maybe the Milwaukee fire department should staff the Milwaukee firehouse. As soon as Tosa realizes that engine is in Milwaukee more then their town this engine will get pulled.
#10 by Tim on January 24, 2023 - 12:35 PM
I don’t understand the story. So is a Wauwatosa engine going to be at station 28 and 35?