In response to the article in Thursday’s Bangor Daily News about four firefighters being furloughed at Bangor International Airport-Air National Guard Base, it is important to correct some of the statements made in that article.

There are only 33 firefighters, not 35. One position is a non-firefighting position, and the other position has not been filled.

The layoffs are permanent, whereas the positions are going to be abolished according to the notices received by the four firefighters.

Management knew of the shortfall as early as Dec. 6, 1994, if not sooner. Several requests for labor management meetings went unanswered. The first request for a meeting was in February 1994.

If the layoffs occur, this would leave 29 firefighters to provide three-shift, 24-hour-a-day coverage, leaving two 10-man shifts and one 9-man shift. With an eight-man shift minimum, this will leave little room for vacations or sick leave without paying overtime. With required response of three fire trucks with two men each, one rescue with two men each and one command vehicle with one man, this adds up to nine men needed. As it is now, we respond with two fire trucks, one rescue truck and one command vehicle, leaving one person to man the alarm room (dispatch). At times, one in-service truck is left undermanned.

The FAA requires us to respond to an incident on the airfield in less than three minutes. The closest Bangor fire truck is Station 6, which, when responding would take at least twice as long to respond to the scene. If Bangor Central has to respond due to Engine 6 being out on another call, response time is even longer. Time is very important in an aircraft fire with a large amount of flammable fuel on board, when a few seconds count.

Bangor Fire’s first objective is water supply to the scene and whatever is needed. David M. Libby Shop steward Airport Fire Department Bangor