Like municipalities across the country during the COVID-19 pandemic, Baltimore is facing a financial crisis, and it's considering shutting down some firefighting units.
The city's proposed budget shuts down some firefighter units at stations that have more than one, WMAR-TV reports. The Baltimore City Fire Department has 38 stations.
“That’s going to reduce the amount of firefighters we have in our local neighborhood firehouses,” Dickie Altieri, the president of the firefighters union, told WMAR. “That could possibly increase our response times to the citizens who have a 9-1-1 response.”
One of the potential cuts would shut down two supression companies. Those cuts would reduce the department by two less engines and put a strain on surrounding units, the head of the fire officers union said.
“That unit will pick him them additional runs putting more workload on them members,” Steve Horchar, president of the Fire Officers Association, Local 964 told WMAR. “The units in the surrounding areas will also pick up because there is a good possibility that unit may be out and someone else is coming in to fill their spot.”
The union leaders understand the impact the COVID-19 outbreak has had on the city, but the cuts to workers on the frontline of the pandemic is disappointing. Both hope to work with the city on way to avoid the cuts.
