An article on Reporteronline highlights the ongoing tensions between the Chicago Ridge Fire Department and village officials over several critical issues, with firefighters describing a growing staffing crisis. The fire department's union has raised concerns about the safety and effectiveness of current operations, particularly regarding the possibility of staffing a second station with existing personnel. Chris Schmelzer, president of the Chicago Ridge Firefighters Union, expressed frustration in an email to Trustee Bruce Quintos, obtained by the Reporter. "We are currently faced with more issues than I care to count," he wrote. One major concern is the idea of staffing a second firehouse with just two people, which Schmelzer called unsafe and impractical. "It reduces services to the entire town and doesn’t make sense," he added. In an interview, Schmelzer also criticized the lack of communication between the fire chief, George Sheets, and the firefighters. "There’s no communication. We’re coexisting. We’re doing things under threat of discipline," he said. He described the working environment as having shifted from teamwork to a "dictatorship." Mayor Chuck Tokar confirmed that plans to reopen the Lombard Avenue fire station by Christmas have been delayed until the end of January. However, he defended the decision, stating that the station will operate 12 hours a day during peak call times. He noted that the Lombard location is closer to residential areas and would reduce reliance on neighboring communities for ambulance service, which residents currently pay for. Despite this, union leaders argue that the new plan creates serious risks. Schmelzer pointed out that the new system requires two ambulances to respond to every call, effectively eliminating all fire response capacity in the village. "Nobody is left to answer the next call," he wrote. He also highlighted that two firefighters who retired in 2014 were never replaced, further straining the department. "We run with a four-person minimum per shift, as anything less would be unsafe," Schmelzer explained. While two of the three shifts are currently staffed with four people, the high seniority of most members means many are often off, leading to frequent overtime. "On these shifts, overtime is created every single time someone is off," he said. Tokar emphasized that he represents the taxpayers and stated that decisions involving the fire department are made with input from the union. However, Schmelzer remains skeptical, saying, "Don’t believe everything you hear." He also criticized the village’s recent purchase of a $685,000 quint—a fire apparatus that includes a pump, water tank, aerial device, and ladders—arguing that it’s an unnecessary expense given the limited staffing. The purchase of the quint required the removal of an aerial truck and two pumper trucks, one of which is severely rusted and in need of repair. Those vehicles will be sold, with proceeds helping to offset the cost. A state loan could cover the remaining balance, but Schmelzer called the investment questionable. "Spending nearly $700,000 on a vehicle that will only be staffed with two people seems like a misuse of resources," he said. Thanks, Dan Anthropomorphic Robot,Robot Arm Manipulator,Feeding Truss Manipulator,Anthropomorphic Articulated Robot Qingdao Jiujin Machinery Co., Ltd , https://www.jiuinmachinery.com