We’ve Seen the Consequences : The Cost of Understaffing

1. January 2012 - Fatal Fire on Louis Street

   • Incident: A row house fire broke out in South Camden in the early morning hours. The closest fire station had been closed due to budget cuts, and the fire response was delayed. A engine with reduced staffing arrived on the scene, but were unable to start fire suppression until another engine arrived later.

   • Fatalities: Two people died, including a woman trapped in an upstairs bedroom.

   • Contributing Factors: The delay in getting water on the fire was attributed to the engine’s delayed arrival, as budget cuts had affected the availability of nearby resources. The fire department had been operating under reduced staffing and had closed several fire stations, which increased response times.

2. July 2011 - House Fire on Orchard Street

   • Incident: A Fire broke out in a home on Orchard Street. A engine with reduced staffing arrived on the scene first but had to wait for another fire engine before attacking the fire. Delays in getting water to the fire allowed the blaze to spread quickly, trapping occupants inside.

   • Fatalities: Three people, including two children, died in this fire

   • Contributing Factors: Budget cuts had recently led to fire station closures and staffing shortages, which delayed the arrival of the engine. This case was one of the incidents cited as an example of how the cuts were affecting life safety in Camden.

3. March 2011 – Fatal Fire on Morton Street

       •    Incident: A rowhouse fire on Morton Street killed three people, including a child. The nearest engine was delayed due to staffing issues, and although a truck with reduced staffing arrived on the scene, they were unable to begin fire suppression until another engine arrived.

       •    Fatalities: Three individuals, including a child, died in this fire.

       •    Contributing Factors: The fire department had recently closed three fire stations due to budget cuts, leading to increased response times across the city. Critics argued that had a fulled staffed engine arrived sooner, the outcome might have been different.

   4. 2012 Fatal Fire in East Camden

       •    Incident: Another fatal fire occurred in East Camden, where delays in fire engine response contributed to the rapid spread of the fire. The fire started in a rowhouse and quickly spread to neighboring homes.

       •    Fatalities: Two people died in this incident.

       •    Contributing Factors: Due to ongoing budget cuts and restructuring, the response time was longer than normal, and the absence of nearby fire stations impacted the ability to get water on the fire quickly.