NEW BEDFORD — The International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) Local 841, representing New Bedford firefighters, is calling on the city administration to keep Engine 9 in service and reject any reduction in firefighter staffing, warning that closing Station 9 would put residents, businesses, students, and firefighters at greater risk.
According to IAFF Local 841, the New Bedford City Council has continually voiced concerns over the closure of Station 9 and the firefighter layoffs previously announced by Mayor Jon Mitchell. The union says those concerns are well deserved and should be viewed as a matter of public safety rather than politics.
“New Bedford has had more fires per capita than the city of Boston,” Local 841 said, emphasizing the importance of maintaining adequate fire protection and emergency response capabilities throughout the city.
The union also points to the number of critical facilities and heavily traveled areas within Engine 9’s immediate response area. Those locations include Normandin Middle School, with more than 900 students; Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical High School, with more than 2,000 students; New Bedford Regional Airport; the MBTA commuter rail; Route 140; numerous commercial sites and small businesses; and congested residential neighborhoods.
According to Local 841, the concentration of schools, transportation infrastructure, businesses, and residential areas makes Engine 9 an essential component of the city’s emergency response system.
“Seconds matter when lives are at stake,” the union said. “Having firefighters on an engine, strategically located and ready to respond, can make the difference between a manageable emergency and a catastrophic one.”
Local 841 also credits the City Council with doing its due diligence during the budget process. The union says councilors identified funding in the current proposed budget that could be used to keep Engine 9 open and firefighters on the trucks, ready to respond to emergencies.
“The City Council did their due diligence and found money in the current proposed budget to keep Engine 9 open and firefighters on the trucks ready to respond to help our citizens,” Local 841 said.
Despite the council’s efforts, the union argues that the administration has continued to move in the opposite direction.
“The mayor has once again carelessly cast aside the voice of reason and common sense on safety and preparedness,” Local 841 said.
The firefighters’ union is also raising concerns about what it describes as a lack of communication from the mayor’s office.
Since the original announcement regarding Station 9 and firefighter layoffs, Local 841 says there has been little to no communication from the mayor or his office with the City Council, the Chief of the Department, or Local 841 regarding any changes, cuts, or other intentions the mayor may have concerning the Fire Department.
For the firefighters represented by Local 841, the issue extends beyond the future of a single station. The union says staffing levels and station locations directly affect response times, firefighter safety, and the city’s ability to handle multiple emergencies simultaneously.
“Unfortunately, this is what we have come to expect from this administration over the years: continued attacks on our department and ongoing cuts to public safety,” Local 841 said.
The union argues that reducing fire protection in a city with significant fire risk and numerous densely populated areas is the wrong approach. It maintains that the city should be investing in emergency preparedness rather than reducing the resources available to firefighters.
Local 841 is calling on the administration to keep Station 9 open, maintain Engine 9’s staffing, and engage in meaningful communication with the City Council, Fire Department leadership, firefighters, and the community about the future of fire protection in New Bedford.
The union’s position is straightforward: the city has identified funding to keep Engine 9 operating, the need for the station remains clear, and public safety should take priority over budget cuts.
IAFF Local 841 says New Bedford should not wait for a tragedy to discover that Engine 9 was needed.
