PITTSBURGH --
Is the city of Pittsburgh thinking about closing some of its fire stations?
There's a draft study circulating right now suggesting the move as a cost-cutting measure.
Channel 4 Action News reporter Bob Mayo said that Pittsburgh's financial oversight board commissioned a major study of Pittsburgh's fire bureau with an eye to cost saving and efficiency.
The firefighters' union said a draft version of the study provided to the city does talk about closing fire stations in three city neighborhoods: Squirrel Hill, Northview Heights and Arlington.
It also proposed closing one fire station each in Hazelwood and Greenfield and replacing them with only one.
Fire station closings during major city cost cutting under Mayor Tom Murphy were seen as controversial.
Union President Joe King said Pittsburgh firefighters are concerned and oppose more cuts being considered by the oversight board's fire consultant.
"We're not meeting the national safety standards for our citizens and firefighters today. Any more reduction in those numbers or closure of fire stations is only going to jeopardize the safety of everyone," King said.
The draft fire study proposed closing several Pittsburgh neighborhood fire stations.
Mayor Luke Ravenstahl said he has not seen the details of the consultant's draft study yet, but he said his public safety director has.
"I will make the decisions in terms of keeping the public safe. And I will not make any decisions if I feel, for whatever reasons, those decisions will not keep the public safe," Ravenstahl said.
The oversight board said it is having the same consultant study whether to merge emergency medical services with the fire bureau. The final version of any recommendation on fire station closings won't come until the EMS study is complete, officials said.
