06/06/2026
Staffing has continued to be a major topic across the fire service. Call volumes are at a record high, with staffing be maintained at a below minimum level.
STRUCTURE FIRE AT DIETZ STREET LOFTS
Yesterday, Oneonta Professional Firefighters responded to a structure fire at the Dietz Street Lofts.
Six firefighters arrived to find heavy smoke and fire showing, along with reports of occupants trapped on multiple floors.
With only six firefighters on duty:
• One operated the engine pump
• One served as Incident Commander
• Two advanced hose lines
• Two conducted searches for trapped occupants
The fire was extinguished, searches were completed, and, thankfully, no occupants were found in the immediate area of the fire.
As the incident progressed, 14 off-duty firefighters were called back from home and immediately deployed. Numerous mutual aid agencies also assisted, and we are grateful for their support.
This fire was successfully controlled through training, teamwork, and hard work. It also underscored a reality we cannot ignore: staffing matters. Had victims been found, only two firefighters would initially have been available to remove them from the building, a labor-intensive task, and the building had 64 apartments to search, each with the potential to contain victims.
Aside from the fire itself, it was a busy day with a total of 18 calls in 24 hours. At one point, callback crews also responded to a stroke call, a time-sensitive emergency.
Overall:
• We need more firefighters, not fewer.
• We need callback staffing to continue until our on-duty staffing is increased
• We need staffing levels that match the emergencies occurring in our community.
Yesterday’s fire showed what firefighters can accomplish when everyone comes together. It also showed how thin the margin has become.
