OP-ED by: Omar Blanco, President, Dade Firefighters IAFF Local 1403
The City of Coral Gables is considering annexing two areas, Little Gables on the north edge of the city and High Pines/Ponce Davis area to the Southwest. As a firefighter my main concern is the safety of the residents we have taken an oath to protect therefore, as firefighters, we oppose both annexations. These takeovers are going to be costly for Gables residents and could in the short-term result in unsafe conditions for new and current residents of the City.
As President of the Metro-Dade Firefighters IAFF Local 1403 of the International Association of Fire Fighters, I represent the over 2,000 firefighters who protect 29 municipalities and the unincorporated areas of Miami-Dade County. Our firefighters, along with our brother and sister firefighters in the City of Coral Gables are some of the best and most experienced firefighters in the world.
Right now, the neighborhoods in question are served by Miami-Dade Fire Rescue with three fire stations able to respond into the areas that can be augmented by another 100-plus units and over 500 firefighters on duty daily, should the situation warrant it. Our department prides itself on being able to deliver the right number of firefighters, with the appropriate equipment, in the most expeditious way. This rollout, which follows national standards, can be in response to any type of emergency, from a single-unit medical response to a large-scale high-rise fire.
Our county teams exceed national standards for the minimum number of firefighters that should respond to a high-rise fire, which is one of the hardest jobs to take down. Our respect for members in Coral Gables is great, but the numbers of firefighters in the City that could be manning the pumps and saving lives during a high-rise blaze falls well below the national standard of 43.
County taxpayers are going to have to make up for millions of dollars Miami-Dade Fire Rescue is going to lose as a result of this annexation. Currently, the cost annually to serve High Pines/Ponce Davis and Little Gables is $2.7 million and $500,000, respectively.
Additionally, Coral Gables residents may see increased costs related to having to hire additional firefighters, purchase additional trucks, and build an additional facility to support this annexation.
For Gables residents, this is a bad financial deal and more importantly, jeopardizes the safety of the current residents and for those in the proposed annexation areas.
Our motto at Miami-Dade Fire Rescue is “Always Ready, Proud to Serve”, and everything we do as a union is done for the safety of our community. This is why Metro-Dade Firefighters IAFF Local 1403 stands strong against the annexation of Little Gables to the East and High Pines/Ponce Davis by the City of Coral Gables.
Comments are closed.