The City of Wichita responds to a post on Facebook from the firefighters union, claiming a fire truck about to be cut from the budget was key to rescuing a man from a burning home.
That 65-year-old man was taken to the hospital in very critical condition, He later died, but would not have made it out had it not been for the availability of Engine No. 6, the union says. .
The union posted a statement on Facebook following the man’s rescue from the home.
The post addresses the city’s budget cuts, including getting rid of Engine 6. Fire Marshal Stuart Bevis said there are other stations on the city’s east side, but they don’t have optimal response times.
“What’s the best way to fill that gap, and what’s the most economical because it does sound bad when you talk about life and death or loss of property,” Bevis says. “But here’s the thing, we can’t put a fire station on every corner.”
(Read more: KWCH News)