The Chicago Fire Department is making another round of changes that, a union leader warned Monday, could put the lives of paramedics and the general public in danger. Two years ago, self-contained breathing apparatus were removed from all 75 Chicago ambulances.
"Local 2 believe the removal of the bunker gear from our paramedics is not in the best interest of our membership," Tom Ryan, president of the Chicago Firefighters Union Local 2 wrote in a text message to the Chicago Sun-Times.
"Chicago's paramedics face extremely dangerous situations every day on every shift. These dangers are often unforeseen and unpredictable. With Chicago not only being a national but an international destination, we must be prepared to respond to any and all emergencies."
The decision to strip paramedics of equipment bought just for them was announced in a May 4 memo signed by Assistant Deputy Fire Commissioner Mark Nielsen, who runs the Bureau of Operations.