Monday, May 11, 2015

(Just Another) Manic Monday

AFD Engine 2 blocking entry to Cottage Street

Now that higher education, our #1 industry, is on hiatus it's tempting to assume Amherst can roll up the streets, businesses downtown can put up "gone fishing" signs on their front door and AFD can while away the hours washing their big bright trucks.

Well, no.

This morning for instance two calls unrelated to college aged youth occurred almost simultaneously on opposite ends of town:  a dumpster fire at the Pomeroy Lane Co-operative Housing complex and a gas leak on Cottage Street caused by a backhoe hitting an underground line.


AFD Engine 1 on scene Pomeroy Lane, South Amherst

Neither incident turned out to be a step above routine but still the on-duty crews were stretched enough so that two off duty firefighters had to be called in for "station coverage." 

Last year AFD handled 5,914 calls or an average of 493 per month.  Thus far this year (as of May 1st) AFD is running at a record breaking 2,200 calls, or 550 calls per month.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

What is today's staffing level?

Larry Kelley said...

They went to an 8 per shift minimum not to long ago.

Anonymous said...

I realize that. I was wondering if it was that low today or fully staffed when they called in off duty personnel.

Anonymous said...

what is the staffing? Same as it was in 1978.. LOL

Anonymous said...

Only 8 per shift during the school year... After Amherst College graduation they return to 7.