Greensburg Fire staffing issues force temporary station closure

(GREENSBURG, Ind.) – A local firefighters union says the Greensburg Fire Department is facing a staffing shortage. 

The Greensburg Professional Firefighters Union Local 5510 said the ongoing staffing challenges presented a rare issue this week. 

Greensburg Fire Station 2 had to be “browned out” overnight Wednesday which is a term used when a station temporarily closes due to staffing shortages or budget shortfalls. 

“A decision was made yesterday when one on-duty firefighter had to leave for a family emergency. The overtime needed for the remainder of the shift was unable to be covered,” the firefighters union stated. 

The station was unmanned from 12:30 p.m. Wednesday to 6 a.m. Thursday, according to the firefighters union.

During that time, a 9-1-1 call was received regarding someone who had fallen but it turned out to be cardiac arrest. The incident happened in Station 2’s coverage area and it forced another station to respond. 

“What would normally be a 90 second response took nearly 5 minutes from Station 1,” the union said. 

Union 5510 said they are being as transparent as possible with the community when it comes to the staffing crisis. 

“We will still respond, but may have extended response times,” they added. 

A National Issue

Greensburg is not an isolated issue as fire departments across the country are facing staffing challenges. 

Jason Cerrano is a career firefighter in Missouri and works with IDEX Fire and Safety. 

Cerrano says most fire departments were in good shape in 1999 and then experienced an influx in recruits following 9/11. 

However, there’s been a steady decline over the past two decades for both volunteer and full-time departments. 

That decline has taken place while call volumes have doubled or even tripled in many communities, Cerrano said. 

“A lot of people don’t want to go out and take risks or be in situations that can sometimes be hard to deal with. But that risk versus reward, or that risk versus the emotional toll that it can take, gives you a really big sense of purpose, because you spend your whole life helping people,” Cerrano told Fox News Digital. 

Cerrano said that the lack of manpower not only puts homeowners at more risk, but also firefighters themselves. 

He added that while there are crucial qualifications to meet, becoming a firefighter doesn’t require someone to be a “straight A student.”

“It does, however, require a willingness to get dirty, wake up in the middle of the night and handle yourself in emotional circumstances,” he said. 

When it comes to recruits, Cerrano added that it’s crucial for fire departments to be welcoming and ensure they feel like they have a purpose. 

“Or that generation will leave and frankly, I wouldn’t blame them for that,” he said.