04-R 119

2004 -- H 8281

Enacted 03/11/04

H O U S E R E S O L U T I O N

HEREBY REQUESTING THAT THE ELECTED LEADERS OF THE CITY OF CRANSTON REJECT THE RECOMMENDATIONS PROVIDED BY THE AUDITING FIRM OF CARROLL BURACKER AND ASSOCIATES

Introduced By: Representatives Palumbo, Montanaro, Jacquard, Lima, and McNamara

Date Introduced: March 10, 2004

     WHEREAS, The mayor of Cranston has embraced the performance audit of Carroll

Buracker and Associates to close fire stations, reduce staffing and remove fire apparatus from

service; and

     WHEREAS, Recommendations made in this report are both flawed and misleading; and

     WHEREAS, This performance audit failed to follow bid specifications requiring

comparison to comparable cities and towns within the state of Rhode Island. The Cranston Fire

Department's budget and staffing issues were compared to unnamed cities and towns throughout

the country, excluding fire departments within the state of Rhode Island; and

     WHEREAS, Cranston, being the 3rd largest city in Rhode Island with nearly 80,000

residents, has been praised as having one of the best fire departments in the state; and

     WHEREAS, When compared to other fire departments in the state of Rhode Island for

budget and staffing, Cranston ranks third, where it should be; and

     WHEREAS, Being the first respondents to the Pastore Complex that includes the General

Hospital, DCYF, the Aime Forand Building and the six prison ACI complex, it is critical that

these emergency services remain in these and other high hazard areas; and

     WHEREAS, The current response time for the vast expanse of Cranston is 2 to 6.5

minutes, with the exception of Western Cranston, which can exceed 8 minutes. The National Fire

Protection Agency standard is 2 to 6.5 minutes. Implementing these cuts would make it

impossible for firefighters to cover the city within NFPA standards, increasing response time,

thereby endangering the lives of all of our citizens; and

     WHEREAS, The Cranston Fire Department, as it stands now, does not meet the NFPA

1710 Standard in relation to the number of firefighters on response vehicles, making the audit's

recommendation unfeasible for the mayor to implement; and

     WHEREAS, The proposed closings and cuts would needlessly increase the risk of injury

and death to the citizens and firefighters of Cranston; and

     WHEREAS, In addition, delayed response will certainly lead to increased property loss,

adversely affecting the city of Cranston's insurance rating; and

     WHEREAS, It is requested that the auditing firm of Carroll Buracker and Associates be

brought back to the city of Cranston to justify these recommendations to the elected officials and

citizens of Cranston in an open and public forum; and

     WHEREAS, The elected leaders of the city of Cranston must reject the recommendations

provided by the auditing firm of Carroll Buracker and Associates; now, therefore be it

     RESOLVED, That this House of Representatives of the State of Rhode Island and

Providence Plantations hereby oppose the proposed closing of the Sockanossett Cross Road #4 in

conjunction with other station closings, staffing cuts, and fire apparatus reduction. These cuts

would not only risk the lives and safety of Cranston residents, firefighters and emergency

personnel, they would also risk state and local relations with regards to fire safety; and be it

further

     RESOLVED, That the elected leaders of the city of Cranston reject the recommendations

provided by the auditing firm of Carroll Buracker and Associates; and be it further

     RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and he is hereby authorized and directed to

transmit duly certified copies of this resolution to Mayor Stephen Laffey, Council President Peter

Pastore and City Clerk Maria Wall.

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LC02943

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