Due to budget shortfall, Fall River Fire Department will be down truck on Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is normally one of the busiest days of the year for not only the Fall River Fire Department, but for departments across Massachusetts. A day where you wouldn’t want to be down equipment. That is, however, where Fall River will be this Thanksgiving.

According to Fall River firefighter union head Joshua Hetzler and other members of the department, the FRFD will be down a ladder company due to a budget shortfall.

“Ladder 4 at the Flint Station will be shut down for 24 hours tomorrow on Thanksgiving. The Executive Board of IAFF L-1314 Fall River Firefighters has exhausted all options and was unable to keep this truck open. Ultimately it is and was the Chief’s decision.”

Fall River Reporter contacted Mayor Paul Coogan for comment and he stated that the decision was made by Chief John Lynch as he was not involved.

It is currently unclear if more trucks will be temporarily placed out of service in the near future.