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Fire Station Two, located near the commissary, started to operate “strictly in an administrative capacity” on Oct. 12, representative Eric Kowal said in a release alongside Lt. Col. Adam Woytowich, Picatinny Arsenal garrison commander.
The same day, the majority of firefighting duties were consolidated to Fire Station One, which the officials say have sufficient capacity to carry out the arsenal’s emergency response needs.
“I found that the consolidation of the majority of our Fire Department personnel and assets to a singular location to be a more efficient use of our resources,” said Lt. Col. Adam Woytowich, Picatinny Arsenal garrison commander.
“There is no reduction, planned or otherwise, in my Fire Department’s manpower nor equipment,” Woytowich continued. “All capabilities to effectively combat fire hazards on and around Picatinny Arsenal remain the same.”
However, Woytowich confirmed that the consolidation would have a “marginal effect” on response times to Station Two’s immediate surroundings.
“Our analysis indicates that we can still meet U.S. Army Installation Management Command’s time response standards from Fire Station One,” Woytowich added.
Meanwhile, Station Two union members took to Facebook Thursday morning — the third day of the closure — to share their ongoing concerns.
“We, the Union, have a vested interest in the health and safety of not only our member Firefighters but to the installation, its servicemembers and their families, civilian employees, installation visitors and the surrounding communities we so proudly serve,” reads the post.
The union initially claimed that overtime concerns were the cause of the consolidation.
“As such we cannot and will not take these actions lightly. Appropriate and numerous attempts have been made by the Union to bargain these changes in accordance with statutory requirements for bargaining.”
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