Silent alarm?

After feeling her way along a smoke-filled corridor, Karen Pasquerello bounded downstairs to her kitchen and found her coffeemaker ablaze.

Flames climbed her kitchen walls on the 900 block of Federal Street and threatened to destroy a home that had been in her family for three generations.

"It just was so fast. I’ve never seen anything move that fast," she said. "I just watched the fire crawl up the wall. It was unlike anything I’d ever seen."

Getting her husband Mike and two young children, Jennifer and Chris, out of the house alive was the only thing on Pasquerello’s mind that morning in October 1986.

But thanks to some quick-thinking Ladder 11 firefighters, photo albums and Jennifer’s baptismal gown were saved from ravaging flames that destroyed the home.

"The firemen were nice enough to try and save the pictures for me. It was just unbelievable. I was happy that they thought about that — because I wasn’t thinking about that then," Pasquerello said.

Located just blocks away at 12th and Reed streets, Engine 10 and Ladder 11 were first to arrive at Pasquerello’s home. Engine 1, at Broad and Fitzwater, was "second in," in fire department lingo.

But Ladder 11 and Engine 1 might not be available to help other residents much longer. Both are on a list of proposed closures as part of the hotly contested city budget.

"I am outraged, to say the least, that they would close," Pasquerello said. "I don’t know why there isn’t anything else they can cut. We had two alarms and we have Ladder 11 blocks away. So what is going to happen now? If my fire went to two alarms, what is going happen to people’s homes and lives with a one-alarm fire?"

Such concerns were underscored by a fatal fire Monday night at 718 S. Seventh St. Engine 1 and Ladder 11 both responded to the blaze, which claimed a 48-year-old man. However, the companies’ quick response helped contain the apartment building blaze to the one dwelling.

Amid a firestorm of controversy and pressure to name endangered fire companies, Mayor John Street last week released a list of four engine and four ladder companies. Ladder 11 and Engine 1 were among the eight proposed closures citywide.

Meanwhile, ES-4, a unit that provides emergency services at Washington and Moyamensing avenues, will be relocated to 21st and Market streets.

Fire Commissioner Harold Hairston supplied the mayor and City Council members with an analysis in which he recommended a list of engine companies and ladders to be shut down as of today.

The Review obtained a copy of the report, in which Hairston stated public and firefighter safety were "our primary concern." Several phone calls to Hairston for comment before he left for vacation this week were not returned.

"Hairston has 40 years on the job, but he hasn’t been in a firehouse or on a fire in 25 years. He’s got a lot of nerve making these cuts," contended Jerry Kots, a former Ladder 11 lieutenant now assigned to Ladder 16 and a board member of Firefighters Local 22. Ladder 16, in Port Richmond, is one of the eight companies on the chopping block.

At a press conference last week, the commissioner cited a decrease in the number of fires in the city and increased demand for Emergency Medical Services as justification for the closures.

To meet the demand for EMS, Hairston’s plan calls for eight more medic units throughout the city.

But Kots argued that a reduction in fires shouldn’t be interpreted as a reduction in the need for fire companies.

"We’re damn proud that fires are down. We work our a—- off to keep fires down," he said. The union leader noted that firefighters are responsible for public education and awareness, and conduct routine maintenance of neighborhood fire hydrants and smoke detectors as part of their job.

The report also cited a need "to respond to the city’s proposed budget."

But according to First District Councilman Frank DiCicco, the fire cuts would save the city $6.7 million — a mere drop in the bucket for the city’s $3.5-billion projected budget.

After a recent Council meeting, DiCicco said he asked Hairston, "But for the budget, would you be making these cuts?" The commissioner answered no, the councilman said.

Immediately after the mayor’s hit list went public, DiCicco fired off two statements to the media denouncing the closures — five of which are in his district.

And Friday, DiCicco looked into legal action to stop Hairston from implementing the plan until an independent study could be conducted.

But the councilman’s legal advisers cautioned him against filing a suit against the city as an "independent elected official," said DiCicco aide Brian Abernathy.

So DiCicco agreed to sign on to Local 22’s pending lawsuit, Abernathy said. According to the aide, the union gave Street until yesterday to change his mind about the cuts. If the mayor didn’t, they would proceed with filing a temporary restraining order to buy time and keep the companies open until an independent study could be conducted, Abernathy said.

On Tuesday, the Pennsylvania House jumped in by passing a bill that would put on hold Street’s controversial plan to cut fire services, despite Gov. Ed Rendell’s support for the mayor. The measure would require the city to complete an impact study of any plan to reduce or eliminate ladder and engine companies. It also would call for public hearings.

Adding even more fuel to the fire, Hairston announced last week that he’s retiring, effective Aug. 1.

Under the city’s early retirement program, Hairston will walk away $500,000 richer — more than double his current salary.

And that has many on the fire force a little hot under the helmet.

"Hairston’s walking away with a half-million dollars and Council just gave themselves a raise," quipped a Ladder 11 firefighter who did not want his name in print.

A dark cloud hung over Ladder 11 on Friday afternoon.

"Morale is down. Morale is very down because we know the station is coming apart," said one firefighter.

Some 21 firefighters, many with more than three decades on the job, were scrambling to turn in transfer requests, said the fireman.

Still, they are upset about the prospect of leaving a community they have long served.

"They’re taking ladder companies out of neighborhoods that need them," said the Ladder 11 employee.

"There is a population growth down here. Closures of safety services do not make sense. The city is wasting money in other ways," he added, contending Operation Safe Streets and the Neighborhood Transformation Initiative are two examples.

Since the list was made public, Ladder 11 has been deluged with calls from residents outraged and scared about the closing.

"They’re very upset," said the firefighter. "I mean, they know that they need the protection down here."

All fired up

Last week, outraged residents in Port Richmond and other affected neighborhoods took to the streets to protest proposed fire-company cuts.

This week, it was South Philly’s turn.

"The civic groups are worried about their safety because they’re losing ladders in their neighborhoods," noted Bill McKiernan, spokesperson for Firefighters Local 22.

Some 200 residents showed up to a community meeting and rally Monday at 7 p.m. at the Clef Club, Broad and Fitzwater streets.

DiCicco, along with representatives from the offices of Council President Anna Verna and state Rep. Babette Josephs, attended the meeting, as did 30th Ward Leader Terry Gillen. Even community developer Kenny Gamble put in an appearance.

Dozens of firefighters turned out from companies across the city.

Representatives from Local 22 also attended the meeting — among them a visibly fuming Bill Gault, who openly denounced Street.

"He’s paying us back for not backing him in the last election," the union vice president said of the fire cuts. Local 22 supported Sam Katz in last year’s mayoral election.

"Your lives and your property are being used in a political football game," Gault told the crowd. "I need people to call the Council people. Demand they find these cuts somewhere else … Citizens are going to die. Fires are going to spread quicker. Property will be lost."

At one point, Gault told the crowd that he would have no problem doing press conferences with "dead babies and burned firefighters."

Across the street from the meeting, some Engine 1 firefighters on duty agreed to talk on the condition of anonymity.

"It’s political payback at its worst," said one paramedic.

"I’m brokenhearted and angry," an Engine 1 firefighter said. "I think they’re taking away from areas that are gaining in population and it can’t do any good. The plan is not good at all."

On Tuesday night, another rally was held at Engine 10, Ladder 11, at 12th and Reed streets.