Firefighters working at Aramark building in Sioux City.SIOUX CITY, Iowa (KTIV) -
Sioux City emergency crews were racing around town, trying to tackle a more than typical Monday morning.
In a span of about 20 minutes four different incidents to deal with. Two of them fires. One, sparked by a welder at the Aramark building on Hawkeye Drive. The other, a stove fire at a Morningside College dorm.
On top of that, a crash at West 19th and Central. Plus, a carbon monoxide alarm on South Pomagranite. Siouxland Paramedics were down to one staffed ambulance, and the two fires left firefighters in a bad way.
"We're down to our bare bones," said Pedersen.
Public Information Officer Jesse Pedersen says the bad economy has fire crews here, and many places across the country, "minimally staffed." He says that's three people per engine.
"We're equipped to handle that much, but once we get past those two fires at the same time, that's when we're really going to have to call in other people," said Pedersen.
Call in other people from an earlier shift to man standby vehicles or, if that's not enough, call for mutual aid...
"Sergeant Bluff, North Sioux City, Lawton, Hinton, they can come in and help us," said Pedersen.
When Siouxland Paramedics are stretched, they also have standby crews and mutual aid... Plus, can use a text alert system in a major emergency.
"We do an all text to all of our members, to have them come in as fast as they can," said John Jorgensen.
Monday may have been hectic, but Sioux City emergency crews say they're prepared even if things get worse.
