An Ohio fire department faces the loss of a long-standing fire station, as well as the three leadership positions, potential moves that come as a surprise to the firefighters union.
But Youngstown Mayor Tito Brown cautioned that the proposed cuts to the fire department are just that: proposals. No decisions have been finalized when it comes to any belt-tightening lawmakers might implement concerning the department, the mayor said during Wednesday's City Council meeting, according to WKBN-TV.
During a meeting between City Law Director Jeff Limbian and Youngstown's firefighters union a day earlier, it was revealed that the city was considering a closing the fire station at Elm Street and Madison Avenue. Officials also were exploring the elimination of three battalion chiefs through attrition.
Those possible moves are upsetting to union officials, who point out that station that could be shuttered is Youngstown's busiest. Some firefighters also are concerned that closing the firehouse by Youngstown State University would have a negative effect on service to the community.
“No matter what, when you lose an apparatus, stuff is affected," Battalion Chief Charlie Smith told WKBN. "Your response time is affected, manpower to the fire is affected."
Brown, however, warns that firefighters and the community shouldn't jump the gun yet when it comes to any cuts. Any preliminary cuts are part of a process to keep the lines of communication open on both sides.
“We can’t have, every time we have a conversation, going to the media and have the conversation happen," he told WKBN. "If we’re going to build relationships, that’s got to be built on trust,".
