SANTA FE SPRINGS, Calif. -- A 41-year-old fire station -- station 2 in the north part of the city - closed at 7:30 a.m. Monday. The closure is part of the city's plan to save about $13 million needed as the result of the elimination of redevelopment funding, said City Manager Thaddeus McCormick.
The city is saving $1.5 million by eliminating six firefighter positions and reducing the number of people on shift from 17 to 15. The city has three shifts.
No layoffs were needed because the Fire Department already was eight people short, said Fire Chief Alex Rodriguez. The department was relying on overtime to man some of the engines.
The cutbacks will result in the mothballing of two of the fire engines once stationed at Station 2, 8634 Dice Road, said Rodriguez. A third engine is moving to station 4, 11736 E. Telegraph Road.
Rodriguez said he believes the closure of Station 2 will have the least impact.
Santa Fe Springs still has open Station 4 and two others, Heaquarters Station 1, 11300 Greenstone Ave. and Station 3, 15517 Carmenita Road.
The department is being reconfigured to add a rescue squad, which will have two paramedics, back into service.
Previously, the paramedics were on an engine but the rescue squad will have more mobility, Rodriguez said.
When paramedics go to a hospital, a fire engine won't be outside Santa Fe Springs out of service, he said.
As a result of the changes, the department will have a fire engine at each of three stations and the rescue squad at Station 2. The 15th person is the battalion chief.
Copyright 2012 MediaNews Group, Inc. and Los Angeles Newspaper Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved
