The only Philadelphia fire station without pumper truck welcomes Engine 6 back after 16-year hiatus
City leaders say Philadelphia neighborhoods are safer now that a key part of a firehouse in Port Richmond is back after a 16-year hiatus.
The first radio call for Engine 6 received a resounding round of applause Thursday from city leaders and community members who gathered inside the fire station on the first day it returned to service.
"This is a very special moment," Mayor Cherelle Parker said.
It was a momentous occasion for the Port Richmond fire station, which had been the only station in the city without a truck able to access water. Engine 6 had been out of service for 16 years.
"They were gambling every day," said Mike Bresnan, president of IAFF Local 22.
The firehouse remained open with a ladder truck and a medic unit, but Engine 6, a pumper truck, was put out of service in 2009 as part of recession-related cutbacks.
It was among seven companies including ladder trucks that were decommissioned. All of them have since been restored thanks to a multi-million dollar grant from the federal government.
"It's an injustice what went on. It's a shame it went on this long. But it's back so we got to look forward. … Everybody is a lot safer today," Bresnan said.
Officials are hoping the addition of Engine 6 will improve response times. Engine 6 services Port Richmond, Fishtown and Kensington. Community members say they are happy it's back.
"The fire protection service back in gives us all a comfortable feeling that we do not have to wait for an engine company from a further distance should the need arise," Joe DiCesare of Fishtown said.
"We've been relying on other houses, other fire stations and different locals to come down and cover our local and our community," Ken Wood of Port Richmond said, "and that just wasn't fair."
