It's Time for the Fire Service to Join Communities in Preventing Street Trauma - Streetsblog USA

"On one hand, firefighters and paramedics have dedicated themselves to serving their communities, and they do so every day with skill and care, without hesitation, even under the most trying circumstances. On the other hand, street safety advocates are finding themselves at odds with fire departments and local firefighter unions over efforts to protect pedestrians and cyclists through the redesign of streets."

"In Los Angeles, for example, the United Firefighters of Los Angeles Local 112 opposed the 2024 Healthy Streets LA (HLA) ballot initiative, which called for the installation of hundreds of miles of new bike lanes, bus lanes, and other improvements on designated boulevards. After voters approved the measure by a wide margin, California Assemblymember Chris Rogers doubled down, introducing AB 612, the "Increase Fire Department Authority Bill," which proposed giving greater veto power to fire departments if street design changes could potentially affect response times."

"The bill failed, at least in part due to the opposition of street safety advocates, but it will likely reappear in a coming session. Conflicts between fire departments and street safety advocates have occurred in other cities, including Oakland, San Francisco, Baltimore, and New York City, to name a few. On one level, the opposition of the fire service is understandable. Their job is to reach people quickly and help them,"

A national paradox is developing between street safety advocates and the fire service. Firefighters and paramedics serve communities with skill and care under trying circumstances. Street safety advocates increasingly clash with fire departments and firefighter unions over redesigns meant to protect pedestrians and cyclists. In Los Angeles, United Firefighters Local 112 opposed the 2024 Healthy Streets LA initiative, and Assemblymember Chris Rogers introduced AB 612 to give fire departments greater veto power over design changes. The bill failed for now but could return. Similar disputes have occurred in Oakland, San Francisco, Baltimore, and New York City. Fire departments cite concerns about slower emergency response times from some roadway designs.

Read at Streetsblog