Letter to the Hon. Ryan McCarthy, Secretary of the U.S. Army - Schumer urges Army to replace Fort Drum fire department's two-decade old emergency apparatus; senator says without operational ladder truck and sufficient number of fire engines, courageous Fort Drum first responders are severely hamstrung

Letter

Dear Secretary McCarthy:

I write to request your immediate attention and assistance to ensure the Fort Drum Fire Department is sufficiently equipped with emergency response apparatus, specifically a ladder truck and engine truck. In the past three years, several of Fort Drum Fire Dept.'s emergency apparatus have failed inspection and have been unable to be repaired or replaced, including its backup structural apparatus and five firetrucks.

The majority of Fort Drum Fire Dept.'s obsolete emergency apparatus and emergency response vehicles are more than twenty years old, the oldest being built in 1987. While the fire department is scheduled to receive a new engine truck this November, its absence has forced the department to rely on equipment from neighboring communities. Additionally, it is my understanding that Fort Drum Fire Department fails to meet the requirements for a ladder truck as the base does not have at least five buildings that are more than four stories tall and lack sprinkler systems. However, they do not have the proper equipment to reach the fourth story of their buildings, putting both occupant and firefighter lives at risk. These urgent issues have put a serious strain on Fort Drum Fire Dept.'s resources, which protects nearly 20,000 active duty military personnel and their family members. It is imperative that we provide our firefighters with the resources they need to protect the military members who protect our nation.

Therefore, I respectfully ask that you expedite the delivery of a new engine truck for the Fort Drum Fire Department, and thoroughly review and, if deemed appropriate, change the existing Army policy which sets the requirements for fire departments to qualify for ladder trucks. If changing the existing policy is not possible, I urge you to consider Fort Drum for an exemption to policy so that its fire department can be authorized to receive a ladder truck.

Thank you for your consideration of this request and your commitment to the safety and wellbeing of our service members. Please do not hesitate to reach out to my office with any questions.

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