Career firefighters in a New York village are looking for jobs after being axed.
Port Chester officials said eliminating the eight positions will save the village about $800,000, The Journal News reported,
When the alarm sounds, volunteers will be responding as the eight firefighters have been placed on paid administrative leave through the end of this month, the paper reported.
Village officials said the department has 150 firefighters trained for interior attacks, the paper reported.
The rift between the village and the IAFF local flared in March when the president accused volunteers of mishandling a fire.
“It seems to be retaliatory on a number of fronts," Richard Corenthal, attorney for the career firefighters, told reporters.
"The village is gambling with residents’ lives because there is no longer 24/7 fire protection. The residents and the businesses are now at risk," he said.
Mayor Dennis Pilla said it was a fiscal decision.
The career firefighters are protesting and rallying against the decision.
