Early Thursday morning was a perfect storm for the Jamestown police and fire departments.

In addition to the regular EMS response duties and police calls that come in overnight, city firefighters had a working structure fire at Danielson Oil Co. on Crescent Street and then an intentionally set vehicle fire on Fulton Street at the same time. Then, a homicide victim was discovered on Williams Street that led to lengthy search for a man wanted for questioning. It was certainly not an easy series of shifts for police officers and firefighters. Literally all hands were on deck with off-shift firefighters called in and mutual aid from area volunteer fire departments in use as needed to help respond to calls. At the same time the city’s police department found itself in the middle of what is turning into a stubborn investigation.

But Thursday morning’s events are also a reminder as we debate the need for additional public safety personnel that we have handled several extreme-case scenarios over the past two decades — the El Greco fire on First Street in 2004, the Jamestown Royal Upholstery fire a couple of years ago and even last year’s fire at the former Crawford Manufacturing building on Allen Street. More manpower would be great if we could sustainably afford it. But without “free” money from the federal government we know we can’t — and we know there are likely to be hidden strings when that federal money runs out.

The real question the City Council faces is whether or not the city can afford to be staffed for the worst-case scenario to happen on a regular basis? Or does the city do what it has done for the past two decades and simply deal with our challenges with what we have available?

Thursday’s emergency responses probably provide a bit of an answer. It was not an easy day for the city’s public safety workers. Did city firefighters and responding mutual aid volunteers come through and handle their job well? They absolutely did. Is the city’s police department doing all it can to track down Michael Burham, the suspect in the Thursday killing of Kala Hodgkin? We’re sure it is. Jamestown firefighters and police officers have a proven track record of dealing with these challenging situations as they come up –much like the city they serve.