Dallas firefighters heading into another long hot summer continue to ask that their jobs battling the heat not include the lack of sufficient air conditioning at their fire stations.
"I'd say 20 to 25 percent of the stations have ongoing issues, at a minimum," said Armando Garza with the Dallas Hispanic Firefighters Association when asked about the city's 58 fire stations.
Station 1 on Irving Boulevard, for example, built in the 1970's, has an aging HVAC system that just can't keep up with summer heat. Firefighters there say when outside temperatures soar into the 90's, as they already have this spring, the inside of the fire station will reach as much as 85 degrees even with the air conditioning running non-stop.
"The Fire Department cares about us, our command staff cares about us. I don't know that any of the other city departments care about us," Garza said.
Last November, Dallas voters approved a $32 million bond measure that included more than $1.2 million for air conditioning, plumbing and electrical improvements at 12 different fire stations. The continuing complaint from firefighters is repairs are slow in coming and summer is already here.
"I just don't think you have enough duct tape and bailing wire to get us through the summer," said Garza. "It's just how fast can you get it done? And do you have the resources and the personnel to address the issues that we're facing?"
When asked for a response, Dallas Fire-Rescue sent WFAA a written statement:
"Dallas Fire-Rescue and the City of Dallas are aware of the air conditioning problems that are impacting its fire stations. Since May 1st there have been seven stations affected. The repair work at three of those stations has been completed; but in the cases of the remaining four, temporary measures have been taken to provide an appropriate work/living environment, such as the placement of portable cooling units.
In the meantime, we are working with the City's Equipment and Building Services Department to ensure that more permanent solutions (through repairs and/or replacement), are made in a timely manner."
Even when repairs are on the way, Garza complains that bureaucracy continues to slow them down. Station 21 needs a new AC unit. But, it's at Love Field. They need a permit to bring in a crane to get the AC unit to the roof.
"We've been waiting, to my knowledge, it's been about three weeks," Garza said. "I think that it's going to get resolved. But it just may not be resolved quick enough."