STERLING – The city of Sterling will review police and fire incident reports to make certain there was a proper response to a weekend fire that injured a former mayor and his wife.
Sterling City Manager Scott Shumard said he will speak to former Mayor Ted Aggen and his wife, Jackie, as well as their neighbors, as part of the information-gathering process.
"We want to ensure all protocols were adhered to and that our protocols provide citizens the highest level of service," Shumard said.
The Aggens' home at 1404 24th Place was heavily damaged in the blaze, which was reported at 11:16 p.m. Saturday. Firefighters from Sterling and four other departments responded, and were on the scene until 5 a.m. Sunday.
Neighbors expressed concerns to the city about the length of time it took firefighters to arrive, and their efforts to rescue Aggen.
A witness, who declined to be identified, said Wednesday it seemed to take about 10 minutes from arrival to rescue, and that responding firefighters had no "game plan."
Aggen, 80, who was Sterling's mayor from 1995 to 2007, had to be pulled out of a second-floor window. He was taken to CGH Medical Center for smoke inhalation. Jackie jumped from the window and broke a foot.
The firefighters' union president said the response should serve as a wakeup call.
"We don't have enough firefighters to begin with, and they laid off three," said Matt Laughlin, Firefighters Local 2301 president.
Two firefighters were laid off May 9 in city budget cuts. A third position isn't being paid for while a firefighter is on a military tour of duty.
Shumard, in an e-mail response, called Laughlin's assertion that staffing levels may have impacted the response to Saturday's fire "shameful [and] unfortunate attempts to exploit the Aggens' misfortune."
He said the Lynn Boulevard substation, from where firefighters responded, has the same staffing levels as it did before the layoffs.
Sterling Fire Sgt. Gary Dettman said the department received a call to a traffic accident at the same time as the Aggens house fire, but said that didn't impact response time since the substation isn't far from the home.
"That engine is 30 seconds away," Dettman said.
Dispatch did give the department an incorrect address, Dettman said. The department was told the fire was on 23rd Place, but there is no such street, and firefighters proceeded to the Aggen home.
On their way, they were delayed briefly when the stopped for a neighbor on 24th Street — north of 24th Place — who was flagging them down. The stop only took a few seconds.
"We don't want to [ignore] anyone," Dettman said.
Dettman said the department's response probably seemed longer to worried neighbors and bystanders.
"It seems like time drags on and takes [forever]," he said.
Dettman said the department responded as timely as possible, though he couldn't say at what time firefighters arrived at the scene.
Shumard said it was "fast-acting police officers" who took "instrumental action to rescue Mr. Aggens."
Sterling Fire Lt. Mike Wheeler told the Gazette that assistance was provided by on- and off-duty police officers.
Dettman credited two Sterling firefighters on the scene.
"They did what we could do," Dettman said. "It was a successful rescue."
But the rescue was not without its complications. Dettman said Aggen was reluctant to come out of the window, so a ladder was set at a steep incline to allow him to slide down.
"Our only option was to take him out of the window," Dettman said.
"Ultimately," Shumard said, "the most important matter is that Ted and Jackie Aggen are still with us, safe and recovering."