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Louisville budget would cut 1 of 2 haz-mat units By JAY REEVES, EMT-P LOUISVILLE — The Louisville Mayor's proposed budget would reduce the city's haz-mat units from two to one. During the Louisville Board of Aldermen's weekly "Brown Bag Lunch" Jay Reeves pointed out that Mayor David Armstrong's proposed budget contained the following language: "In addition, engine 1 is being converted from a hazmat unit to an engine unit which will be staffed by four employees who are trained to respond to hazmat incidents." This action would cut the number of hazmat units in the City of Louisville by half. Alderman Dan Johnson stated he had discussed this issue with Fire Chief Greg Frederick and that the Chief had explained that the hazmat unit in question had responded to "only seven" incidents last year. To this Alderman Barbara Gregg said "Yes, but it only takes one to need them." Reeves raised his concerns after hearing from members of the Jefferson County EMS Disaster Response Team (which provides hazmat response in the county) that they had been told to expect an increase in mutual aid responses into the city. The county provides hazmat response with career volunteers from within its own ranks who respond to hazmat incidents in addition to their EMS duties, while LFR utilizes personnel who volunteer for training and are then assigned to dedicated units attached to engine companies. Reeves is also concerned that only having one cache of equipment would make it vulnerable saying, "If you have all you eggs in one basket and it's contaminated with chlorine, you have no eggs!" No representatives of LFR were in attendance at the lunch meeting.
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