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Buffalo, NY — Tops supermarket tragedy, historic snowstorm and heartbreaking loss of firefighter Jason Arno.
The last 12 months have been difficult for the Buffalo Fire Department and its overseer, Fire Chief William Renald. He recently sat down with anchor Scott Levin to answer some questions on the minds of many firefighters and residents.
One of the main issues commissioners spend a lot of time dealing with is criticism from union leaders who are critical of things like equipment reliability.
“I’m not arguing that some of the equipment is obsolete,” Renaldo said. “Many of them were related to the November and December snowstorms. Many pieces of equipment were stranded and left until the roads were cleared. Some were damaged, some in critical condition. We are still in the process of fixing these vehicles, but the vehicles currently on the road and those on order will take us to a better place.”
Mayor Byron Brown’s new budget includes plans to purchase some much-needed new firefighting equipment.
Just days after our interview, the rig in response to the Parkside Avenue fire broke down. With two-way radio, you can clearly hear what the firefighters say.
Firefighters told 2 On Your Side that a similar scene occurred in the deadly Main Street fire that claimed the life of Jason Arno.
Levin: Do you think an engineer had to go to the site because one of the trucks needed work?
Renaldo: Yes I was there when it happened. After 20 minutes the job was done, but it was overheating.
Levin: Were the firefighting efforts effective?
Renaldo: No effect at all.
Levin: What kind of equipment does the mayor want to spend the money on?
Renaldo: Well, I just got a new Ladder Truck 15 delivered, with a little exception for the broken part, and I bought it for almost $2 million. We will have another Ariel platform and engine delivered by October to quickly respond to the Mini Trek ambulance brought back from November’s blizzard.
The fire department has also purchased equipment such as rapid response vehicles and truck ambulances to help firefighters respond when Buffalo’s roads are covered in snow, Renard said.
Another issue likely to emerge when the current union contract expires in 2025 is the use of dynamic staffing. This will allow the department to save money and close fire stations for 24 hours to accommodate staff shortages.
The union, which had endorsed dynamic staffing before Commissioner Renaldo’s term, now criticizes it.
Renaldo: Dynamic staffing has been in place since 2015. For me, it’s a bargaining item and something I’ve learned to moderate. Risk always exists and can never be completely eliminated, but we have made significant efforts to mitigate the risks associated with dynamic staffing.
Levin: What if a trade union decides they want to do away with dynamic staffing?
Renaldo: Well, there’s really no mechanism to do that, it’s a matter of negotiation. I am open to negotiations. Show how the city’s savings from dynamic staffing can be offset.
When asked about the recent Main Street fire that claimed the life of firefighter Jason Arno, Commissioner Renaldo says he will always remember Wednesday, March 1.
Levin: Secretary, what do you remember about the Main Street fire and the call for May Day?
Renaldo: It was clearly a tragic day. We were in class and watching when the fire broke out, apparently escalating to the third alarm and heading to the scene.
A week before Levin notified the city that Arno’s widow, Sarah Tierney, may complain of the conscious pain, suffering, and fear of imminent death her husband suffered that day, Renaldo I spoke with the commissioner. The lawsuit alleges that it was caused by “the negligence, recklessness, and negligence of the City of Buffalo and/or the City of Buffalo Fire Department.”
Levin: Many people are asking why Arno, a firefighter, was in the building at the time when it was apparently in ruins.
Renaldo: that’s a good question. Most of our fires start off as aggressive in nature. You should always at least investigate first. During the daytime, this was an unusual occurrence. Arrived and had to be investigated. Another big concern is occupancy. What is this building used for, it is a commercial building and there may be people there and they need assistance as well. “
The investigation remains in the hands of the ATF and the Erie County District Attorney.
Levin: Will you support a DA prosecution if an owner or employee violates the law?
Renaldo: Yes, I believe someone should be responsible. We don’t know yet and the investigation is still ongoing.
Renald leads the Buffalo Fire Department’s more than 700 men and women in their daily struggles and challenges. When Mayor Byron Brown asked him to return as commissioner in 2018, he happily retired.
Levin: As you continue to lead your department, what does success look like?
Renaldo: Well, we made a conscious effort to fully staff the department, which was 150 people short, but in order to be fully staffed and to deal with the emergency, it was a pandemic. Without a conscious effort to staff this department, we would never have been able to handle the pandemic.
Levin: What kind of footprint do you want to leave?
Renaldo: I love servant leadership. The reason I’m here is to serve the community and the department, and to give frontline firefighters everything they need to get the job done.
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