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Residents and fire union urge Fall River council to act on staffing after fatal apartment fire
Summary
Speakers at the City Council meeting pressed elected leaders to address long‑running firefighter and dispatcher staffing shortfalls after a recent deadly apartment fire, calling for an emergency meeting, a staffed minimum, and a short, independent review by experienced retired chiefs.
Fall River City Council members heard pleas from residents and the firefighters’ union to prioritize public‑safety staffing after a recent apartment fire that killed nine residents.
Speakers at the July 8 City Council meeting said the city has long struggled to restore staffing levels in police, fire and dispatch to earlier benchmarks and urged immediate action. Michael O’Regan, identified at the meeting as president of the firefighters’ local, said the city’s crews performed heroically but warned staffing shortfalls limited the response.
The concerns centered on the number of firefighters, police officers and dispatchers available on a daily basis and the effects of earlier layoffs and expiring grants. Resident Chris Peckham recounted staffing reductions dating to 2009 and said the city’s police and fire rosters have not…
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