Chicago Donates Emergency Vehicles

Chicago Donates Emergency Vehicles

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A Chicago City Council committee approved the donation of two emergency vehicles today, one bound for Mexico and one for the south suburbs.

But one alderman is convinced the city could be doing more to help fire departments in need.

Alderman Ed Burke wants a full list of equipment, including ambulances and fire engines, the city has in storage but no longer uses. He says he’s heard the fire department has extra equipment all over the city that could be donated.

Police and Fire Committee chair, Alderman Isaac Carothers, supported Burke’s call for an inventory list, but isn’t convinced the extra stockpiles exist.

“I think it’s more rumor than anything else,” Carothers says. “I don’t think there’s that much equipment laying around that’s really useful. But then, what’s useful to us, or un-useful to use, may be useful to somebody else in another country.”

The fire department warns that much of its old stock would not be safe for any emergency personnel to use, no matter how desperate they are for equipment.