United States (Rhode Island) - The president of the firefighters' union talked about a recent rescue while testifying in Superior Court Monday afternoon as the union tried to stymie Mayor Charles A. Lombardi's controversial bid to close a firehouse. A car had crashed a short distance away from the firehouse targeted for closure, the Geneva station on Douglas Avenue, and the driver was unable to breathe, according to the union president, Lt. John Silva.

Silva told Judge Jeffrey Lanphear that he reached the scene in two minutes because the station was so close to the accident. He was able to unblock the woman's airway, he said.

A person can suffer substantial brain damage if he or she is deprived of oxygen for longer than four minutes, he added.

Silva was the first witness called by the union's lawyer, Edward C. Roy Jr., who is pursuing a court order that would keep Lombardi from closing the station.

The closure was recommended by a former fire chief, Leslie D. Adams of Chester, Md., who runs a consulting company, Public Safety Solutions.

Adams' company produced a report that says the department can function with three stations instead of four, deploy three pumper trucks instead of four and continue to comply with nationally recognized standards.

Lombardi has trimmed the department to about 88 front-line firefighters, which is less than the full complement of 96 personnel used in the past. He argues that he is saving the town money.

The study says the town can generate additional savings if it regroups the firefighters at three fire stations and makes changes in truck assignments.

The study also says the town would need to expand the force to 107 frontline firefighters to operate four fire stations and four pumpers.

Adams' report includes a computer analysis of simulated emergency responses from the four firehouses. Those stations are: fire headquarters at 1967 Mineral Spring Ave., the Fruit Hill station at 369 Fruit Hill Ave., the Marieville station at 1080 Mineral Spring Ave. and the Geneva firehouse at 1264 Douglas Ave.

The consultants calculated an average response time for each firehouse that ranged from 3 minutes, 5 seconds, to 3 minutes, 24 seconds.

"These projected response times are some of the best seen by the study team in the United States," the report says.

The consultants used the same type of projections to examine the effects of operating with fewer stations in various combinations.

The projected response times for the three stations averaged between between 3 minutes, 5 seconds and 3 minutes, 42 seconds, according to the study.

The hearing is scheduled to resume in Superior Court, Providence, at 2 p.m. Wednesday.

KEY POINTS

Fire consultant's study

--The firefighters' average response time, for 27 North Providence building fires in 2008, was 2 minutes, 40 seconds. The standard established by the National Fire Protection Association calls for engine companies to arrive at emergencies within 4 minutes of being dispatched, in 90 percent of all incidents.

--The department's table of organization calls for 96 firefighters. But the force can operate safely with 85.6 positions, if it uses one less engine and lets circumstances govern the particular truck, either the ladder or the heavy rescue vehicle, taken to each emergency by a team of four firefighters.

--The average time each firefighter spends off his or her shift, including time off for on-duty injuries, totals more than 11 weeks per year.

--North Providence fire trucks are handling calls in Providence more than 700 times per year and the neighboring city rarely reciprocates.

Written by Providence Journal