June 13, 2011|By Darran Simon, INQUIRER STAFF WRITER
Redd said she wanted to \”dispel any misinformation\” about the need for manpower from other towns to help Camden firefighters on Thursday and Saturday. Camden\’s Fire Department is down by 29 positions after layoffs by the cash-strapped city in January.
Camden relies on assistance from suburban companies, most of them staffed by volunteers, when the city\’s eight companies are all deployed.
On Friday, Kenny Chambers, the union president for Camden\’s firefighters, said the response by fire departments from more than three dozen towns in Camden, Burlington, and Gloucester Counties that night left those towns vulnerable had a fire broken out in any of them.
A coordinator oversees delivery of mutual aid within the county, and Camden has given the same assistance to its neighbors, Redd said.
\”Never has mutual aid in responding to the city of Camden depleted the resources of our surrounding towns,\” Redd said.
Redd also disputed an assertion by Chambers that there might have been less property damage had more Camden firefighters been on the payroll. Redd, who has found funds to rehire 31 of the 60 firefighters laid off, said ….
CONTINUEvia articles.philly.com
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