Fire chief studies fiscal cuts

[Box 2565]

Cincinnati department must reduce spending by $2 million before year's end

By Jane Prendergast
Enquirer staff writer


Cincinnati's fire chief has a couple of weeks to figure out how he'll cut almost $2 million from the department's spending by the end of the year.

There's no talk of drastic measures such as closing firehouses or laying off firefighters, but Chief Robert Wrightsaid it's likely his suggestions will be unpopular with firefighters, the public or both.

"I just can't see anything that's going to be nice at this point," he said Monday.

Most of the overspending has been in overtime. The department budgeted about $2 million for it and has already spent $20,000 over that budgeted amount. Wright projects that overtime overspending will grow to more than $1 million by the end of the year.

He attributes the growing overtime costs to contractual issues such as requiring four firefighters on an engine, and to paying extra firefighters to cover for colleagues who are hurt, sick and on military and family leave.

Wright expects the total overspending to be about $1.8 million. After the more than $1 million in overtime, the rest comes from, among other things, rising fleet maintenance costs.

The Fire Department has probably the most expensive fleet of trucks to maintain of any city department, the chief said. He estimated that cost at $300,000.

City Manager Valerie Lemmie has not directed Wright how to cut the money, he said.

But he estimated he and his staff have about two weeks before she's going to want to know what they're going to do about it.

The department's total general-fund budget is $58.3 million.

Mayor Charlie Luken singled out the Fire Department last week in saying that "overspending" by some city departments needed to be put in check. All told, the city manager hopes to save $2.7 million by forcing "budget-balancing efforts" on wayward departments. She did not elaborate.

Safety services have traditionally been held harmless in previous rounds of budget-cutting, with the city even hiring 75 more police officers as other departments faced the threat of layoffs.

Lemmie said the top-to-bottom examination of the department - the result of the yearlong investigation into the death of Firefighter Oscar Armstrong III at a Bond Hill house fire last year - would continue. She has said that could cost $500,000.

Doug Stern, spokesman for the firefighters union, said Local 48 will be watching for Wright's plan and will oppose any effort to close firehouses, even temporarily. Wright said some cities do what they call "browning out" fire companies, meaning that a firehouse is closed for a day. That, Stern said, just puts neighborhoods in jeopardy.

"To be honest, we've already run thin for the last several years," Stern said of the 800-firefighter department's staffing level. "I don't know where the chief's going to find something to cut."

Wright said he didn't know either. "There are some issues where we can probably do something," the chief said. "But what that is, I truly don't know."

The Cincinnati Enquirer 08-17-04

[Box 2565]

Cincinnati Fire Chief Proposes Brownouts

A proposal to close up to six City of Cincinnati fire companies per day to make up a $2.4 million budget shortfall isn't sitting well with the firefighters union.

The plan was discussed in a memo from fire chief Robert Wright to Cincinnati City Council's budget and evaluation committee.

The chief writes that browning out fire companies for 24 hours could affect the service levels to communities and cause insurance rate hikes for homeowners.

Doug Stern with the firefighters union says it's a dangerous proposition.

"A quick response is what saves lives. Whether they put the fire out to keep it from spreading to that person or they actually rescue that person. That's what saves the lives of people is a quick fire response," said Stern.

Chief wright's memo says the temporary closures would save $1.6 million.

 :evil:

[Box 2565]

Thursday, September 16, 2004

Cincinnati to cut $4.2M more
Fire Department takes biggest hit; Butterfield Center to close

By Kevin Aldridge
Enquirer staff writer


Cincinnati will reduce daily staffing at some of its firehouses, lay off seasonal workers at its parks and close the Butterfield Recreation Center in an effort to save $4.2 million.

City officials said Wednesday the cost-cutting measures are necessary to keep some city departments from going over their council-approved budgets for the year. Several departments are in danger of exceeding budget because of unanticipated expenses, overtime and rising fuel and utility costs.

The city faces a $7.8 million general fund deficit for the budget year that ends in December and an $11.5 million hole next year.

Last month, city officials announced an assortment of mid-year cuts including a hiring freeze, a ban on nonessential travel, delaying a police recruit class and an amnesty program for people who haven't paid the city's earnings tax.

City Manager Valerie Lemmie had asked five city departments - Police, Fire, Parks, Recreation and Public Services - to cut spending.

"These are not new cuts," said Councilman David Pepper. "This current proposal is trying to hold every department accountable for the budgets approved this year."


Among the planned reductions:

• The Fire Department will "brown-out" or reduce daily staffing at its firehouses. Each day the department staffs 40 fire companies within 26 firehouses. Under this plan, up to six fire companies will be unstaffed. It will also eliminate the 2004 cadet program. Savings: $2.4 million.

• The Police Department has revised its estimates for anticipated retirements, lump-sum payments and compensatory time sellback. Savings: $991,176.

• This winter, the Public Services Department won't clear or salt residential streets on overtime. There will also be reductions in road maintenance associated with guardrails and non-pothole street repairs. Savings: $600,107.

• The Recreation Commission will maintain job vacancies, reduce part-time outdoor maintenance staff, reduce contractual maintenance and close the Butterfield Recreation Center starting Sept. 30. Savings: $76,595.

• The Park Board will eliminate 40 seasonal staff positions, cut financial support to the Mount Airy festival, close all 34 park restrooms (except when there is a paid reservation for park facilities) and reduce mowing. Savings: $185,991.

 :evil:

[Box 2565]

Standing Room Only At City Hall Over Fire Company "Brown-outs"

It was standing room only at city council's finance committee meeting Tuesday.

Dozens of firefighters and residents came out to voice their opposition to a new plan that would reduce the city's fire companies in an effort to save money.

The proposed plan reportedly would save $1.4 million, but some residents say that savings could come at the cost of their safety.

"Seconds count on medical runs for heart problems, breathing issues, falls and stroke episodes," said one speaker at Tuesday's city council meeting, "with budget cuts -- this is death in the making."

"We had a recent fire on Pullan street and our fire department said if it had been one more minute -- two houses would have been gone -- not one," said one Northside resident.

Cincinnati Fire Chief Robert Wright said there could be up to six fire companies cut -- a practice known as "brown-outs."

According to the firefighters' union, each company consists of one truck and a handful of firefighters.

They say the cuts would be dangerous move that would jeopardize the whole City of Cincinnati.

"We have to have a Cincinnati that people wanna come to because they feel comfortable and welcome," said Joe Diebold, president of the firefighters union.

"They can't worry about whether or not they're going to be hurt, injured or make it to the hospital on time," said Diebold, "or they could be in an accident and not receive the care they need."

The companies cut would include those from the fire headquarters downtown, the West End, Avondale, Oakley, South Fairmount and Northside.

"It's not my preference," said Chief Wright. "We don't have any other new revenues coming in, we don't have another option."

City council member Chris Smitherman disagreed.

Smitherman said there has to be another option.

"Now what I want the manager and what I want the administration to do is cut everything else, I mean bare bones, before we start browning-out certain communities, because that is very subjective," Smitherman said.

Chief Wright stressed however that no fire stations will close, just companies within those fire stations targeted.

Reported by: 9News
Web produced by: Neil Relyea
Photographed by: 9News
9/21/04 11:08:24 PM
WCPO.com

[Box 2565]

City Council vows not to allow reduced fire staffing in 2005-06

$11.5 million deficit looms for next year

By Kevin Aldridge
Enquirer staff writer

Cincinnati City Council members - displeased about having to reduce staffing at six firehouses because of budget woes - declared Tuesday that fire department brownouts would not be an option for alleviating an $11.5 million budget deficit next year.

The city plans to brown out fire companies downtown as well as in Avondale, South Fairmount, Northside, Oakley and the West End for the rest of this year in an effort to keep the city's fire department from going over budget. City Manager Valerie Lemmie had asked five city departments - fire, police, parks, recreation, and public services - to cut spending.

Each department submitted cost-cutting proposals that could save the city about $4.2 million on an estimated $7.8 million general fund deficit for the budget year that ends in December. The fire department took the biggest hit by eliminating roughly $2.4 million in spending - more than half coming through brownouts.

Councilman David Crowley introduced a motion during council's finance committee meeting Tuesday that pledged council would not consider brownouts as a solution to budget woes in 2005 and 2006.

The motion also called for the city to use any additional revenues collected in the next three months to reduce the number of brownouts this year. The measure passed unanimously.

"I don't want this to become a way of doing business in the future," Crowley said. "No one on the city wants to see brown-outs even on a temporary basis.

BROWN-OUTS  
Each day the Cincinnati Fire Department staffs 40 fire companies within 26 firehouses. City officials plan to reduce daily staffing at six of them including:

• Company 14, Fifth Street and Central Avenue, downtown

• Company 29, West Liberty Street, West End

• Company 32, 650 Forest Ave., Avondale

• Company 31, 4401 Marburg Ave., Oakley

• Company 21, 2131 State Ave., South Fairmount

• Company 20, 1668 Blue Rock Road, Northside
 
"The prospect of making them permanent is beyond drastic - it is frightening," Crowley said.

About 100 firefighters packed council chambers to listen to a presentation on the planned cuts. Cincinnati's fire union had submitted its own money-saving proposal, but it was rejected because city officials said it wouldn't save money quickly enough.

Union President Joe Diebold told council members that brownouts were "risky business," saying they would increase response time - and any delays could cost lives and property.

"Closing fire companies is dangerous," Diebold said. "No matter how you look at it, you are gambling with the lives of citizens and the lives of those who visit our city."

Fire Chief Robert Wright said brownouts were "the least harmful method" to quickly save $1.4 million. Wright said certain neighborhoods were targeted for brownouts because they had more than one fire engine housed there.

"If there was a single engine, that station was not considered," Wright said, noting there are 14 firehouses with multiple trucks. "It is not my preference, but we don't have another option."

Rising utility costs, fleet maintenance and unanticipated overtime were the primary causes for the department exceeding its budgets. Wright said that, during the first eight months of this year, the fire department averaged about seven firefighters per day working overtime at about $962 per shift. The department had budgeted for just three per day.

Paul Green, president of the Northside Community Council, said the city should divert money from other areas instead of the fire department. Green said he was shocked to learn the city spends about $500,000 a year on the arts.

"I love the arts, but nobody is leaving Cincinnati for the suburbs because we don't give enough to the arts," Green said.

The Cincinnati Enquirer 09/17/04

[Box 2565]

Fire Trucks Will Be Slower Responding
Brownouts At Six Stations Worry Firefighters, Victims

POSTED: 5:04 pm EDT September 22, 2004
UPDATED: 11:06 am EDT September 23, 2004

CINCINNATI -- Six fire stations are facing big cuts in Cincinnati, which means equipment meant to protect citizens is taken off the street, WLWT News 5's Brian Hamrick reported.

Last year, the fire department was $2.4 million over budget, and in an effort to save $1.6 million, some buildings will be temporarily closed.

The city finance committee announced Tuesday that cuts to the fire department budget will not close any firehouse. Instead, officials will cut back on one of six buildings that house two companies each.

One building will be eliminated for a few days, with other departments covering the area. The periodic eliminations would roll around the group of six houses and the only firefighters to be sent home will be those who were working overtime.

Some experts say the cuts mean the average response time for emergency crews will be increased by 17 seconds.

"As simply as we can put it, our concern is for public safety," said Doug Stern, of the firefighter's union.

Some firefighters believe the time difference from the cutbacks could mean the difference between a rescue and a recovery mission.

While not all consequences of the cutbacks are as dramatic, many experts believe the damage is measured in seconds, Hamrick reported.

A recent fire provides a dramatic example. According to Stern, it took firefighters just three minutes to arrive at the home. They were barely able to save the house next door, and the next closest fire department would have taken an additional five minutes to arrive, Hamrick reported.

Some victims are concerned about the response time difference.

"It could have burned down the whole house and got to my neighbors house downstairs," said Teneeka McCoy, a fire victim. "It would be a whole different story if it had been another two minutes. We wouldn't be on this porch right now."

Firefighters Protest Overtime Cuts, Brownouts
Three Cincinnati Houses Shut Down Today In Cost-Cutting Move

POSTED: 10:45 am EDT September 23, 2004
UPDATED: 6:19 pm EDT September 23, 2004

CINCINNATI -- City and fire officials are "gambling with lives," the president of the Cincinnati firefighters union charged today after firefighters learned of a new cost-cutting policy – no more overtime – on top of the station brownouts that went into effect today.

"This is beyond the edge ... ," said Joe Diebold. "They are gambling with lives. That's all there is to it."

Cincinnati firefighters hung a brown tarp and a for-sale sign at the downtown station this morning in protest of the brownout there. The West End and Avondale stations also shut down today.

WLWT's Amy Wagner reported that 17 of 40 fire stations weren't operating at full capacity this morning. Some crews had three persons instead of four, in violation of OHSA standards and fire department policy, Wagner reported.

In some situations, Wagner reported, firefighters might have to stay outside a fire and watch it burn until backups could arrive.

Diebold said if Engine 32 would get a call when their ladder company is browned out, the next closest ladder company would take about two minutes to catch up -- a significant difference than the 17-second delay projected.

"This is ridiculous," Diebold said. "To start off fire companies, when you close companies, with an unavailable firefighter force -- it's negligent, period."

The rotating brownouts will also affect stations in Oakley, South Fairmount and Northside. When they're closed, other stations will make runs to those areas.

Officials say the number of companies browned out will vary each day depending on staffing.

City leaders say cutbacks are necessary because the city is way over budget. Last year, the fire department was $2.4 million over budget.

Stay tuned to WLWT and refresh ChannelCincinnati.com for additional information.

[District5]

Brownouts for September 24 -

Ladder 14 - Downtown/Queensgate
Ladder 32 - Avondale
Engine 31 - Oakley
Engine 20 - Northside/Cumminsville
Ladder 21 - Fairmount

Engine 29 was also brownedout, but was then returned to service.

Public Invited To Speak At Forum On City's Brownouts

Reported by: 9News
Web produced by: Neil Relyea
Photographed by: 9News
9/24/04 12:36:11 PM
Those upset over the City of Cincinnati's decision to issue a brownout in order to save money, will have a chance to give their input Friday night.

The city's plan is to decrease emergency fire personnel -- or brownout.

A brownout doesn't mean the firehouses are closed, but a fire truck and its staff are taken off the street for a 24-hour cycle.

Some argue the brownouts put lives at risk.

The cincinnati fire department union plans to file a grievance.

A community forum will be held at the Avondale Pride Center, located at 3520 Burnet Avenue in Avondale from 6 - 8 p.m.

[District5]

Residents Protest Proposed Fire Company Brownouts

Cincinnati residents were out in force Tuesday at the city council meeting to speak against the city's fire department's brownouts.

During a brownout a fire truck and its staff are taken off the street for a 24-hour cycle.

Both residents and firefighters argue that brownouts will put lives and property at risk.

The brownouts started last Thursday and affect the following fire stations:

Downtown headquarters
Avondale
West End
Oakley
South Fairmount
Northside

Reported by: 9News
Web produced by: Neil Relyea
Photographed by: 9News
9/28/04 5:15:17 PM

[Box 2565]

City Leaders Make Compromise On Fire Company Brownouts

The Cincinnati fire chief and city leaders say all their engines will be back in service sunday.

Two weeks ago city officials made the decision to institute "brownouts" which would take some crews and their trucks out of service on a temporary basis as an effort to cut costs.

Now fire officials say they've figured out how to make ends meet.

Fire Chief Robert Wright made the announcement on Friday.

Although city officials say the new plan is only a temporary fix, at least it puts all of the engines back in service.

However, it will not put the crews back at full staff.

Instead it will leave each engine with three or four people.

That's below the city's standard which is four per engine, but city officials say it will be a safer situation than the current one because more trucks will be available in case of an emergency.

While they eventually want to be back at full staff, they say it's not yet possible financially.

They say what's making this happen now is that the city is taking $125,000 it just received to cover a Tall Stacks debt and handing it over to the city's fire department.

"This is a preferred approach," said city manger Valerie Lemmie, "it is not the ultimate solution."

"It is just a preferred approach for the balance of the fiscal years as we work on the budget for 2005-2006," said Lemmie.

"Those are the areas we're going to look at to find the longer term solutions," Lemmie said.

Leaders of the firefighters union say they are happy the brownouts have ended.

They say they'll work with the fire chief and city leaders on how they can bring everyone back to full service next year.


Reported by: Deb Silverman  Web produced by: Neil Relyea
Photographed by: 9News 10/8/04 5:49:36 PM  WCPO.com

[Box 2565]

All companies are back in service as of this past Sunday, but many are running with only 3 firefighters.  Because of the staffing levels, all boxes have an additional engine company assigned on the first alarm so that the standard 1st alarm assignment now calls for 3 or 4 engines and 3 trucks.

[District5]

Its time once again for brown-outs.

As of 08:28- the following companies were browned-out:
E46,20,29 T17,32,14. These will change as the day goes
on...

08:45- T17 back in service.

08:49- "The now official list of brownouts are E20,29,31 T14,32."

[ohiomike08]

Does CFD still maintain a 4 man engine company? If so, could they drop to 3 and keep the additional companies open? I know it's still robbing Peter to pay Paul, but at least you wouldn't have reduced response times into the current "brown-out districts.

Mike

[Box 2565]

Hi,

The issue of 3 or 4 on a company is a real hot potato right now.  The union contract states that 4 firefighters must be assigned on each company except for short periods of time during emergency situations.  In the stations with both an engine and a truck there have been 7 FF's assigned with one person flip-flopping back and forth between the engine and the truck in order to get around the staffing clause.

A great many people believe that there are some major cuts coming for the CFD with the shrinking tax base and exodus of population out of the city.  A proposal on Tuesday's ballot would repeal the city of Cincinnati property tax.  If that action is passed there are rumors that layoffs are coming.

 

[Box 2565]

From the IAFF Local 48 web site.
http://www.iafflocal48.org/


Update on TRO Hearing

This morning, Judge Myers requested that the City and Local 48 again meet in an effort to mutually resolve our staffing grievance and request for Injunctive Relief. Accordingly, the Local 48 Executive Board and Legal Counsel Bob Welch met with City Solicitor Rita McNeil, Asst. City Solicitor Rich Gannulin, Asst. City Manager Rashad Young, Chief Wright and AC Kuhn in a jury room outside of Judge Myers' chambers. After lengthy discussions, the parties agreed to the following:

1) Starting 10/21/04 at 0700 hrs, all fire suppression companies will be fully staffed with four fighters at all times.

2) The City and the Union agree to meet on Monday, 10/25/04 at 0800 hrs with a mutually agreed upon mediator in an attempt to further discuss and potentially resolve the grievance and budgetary issues.

3) Recent money received and allocated to the Fire Budget to relieve brownouts ($100,000 from Tall Stacks, other funds) will be utilized to pay for suppression overtime until the money runs out (estimated from 5 to 14 days dependent upon amount of overtime)

4) The City will provide notice with additional monies pool has been reduced to $15,000

5) The TRO request has been continued until Tuesday, November 2, 2004.

Attorneys for both sides are attempting to select a mediator mutually agreeable to both parties. Additional information is contained in the Vice President's Update.

Please check back regularly for updates.

****************************************************

On Sunday, October 9, 2004, Notice #04-064, Temporary Three Person Staffing, was issued, resulting in the staffing of one company at a double house with three fire fighters. According to the Notice, up to 13 fire companies will start the day with three FF's; up to 26 fire companies will be staffed with 3 FF's for 12 hours per tour.

The Union is alleging a violation of our collective bargaining agreement and fighting back!

Members are urged to visit the "Documents" section under "Members Login" for updated information and important documents, including:
- Letter of Intent
- Grievance #04-006 Vac/Hol Sellback
- Grievance #04-007 Three Person Staffing
- Letter to Chief Wright, 10/12/04
- Letter to Chief Wright, 10/15/04
- Letter to Mayor Luken, 10/15/04
- Letter to City Council, 10/15/04
- Letter to Chief Wright, from Safety Committee
- Letter to Chief Wright
- TRO Complaint for Injunctive Relief
- TRO Diebold Affidavit
- TRO Sanders Affidavit



Defeat Issue 4!
Issue 4, a proposed Charter Amendment that would rollback the City of Cincinnati property tax by 0.5 mills this year and each of the next 10 years, reducing the property tax to 4.5 mills in 2005 to 0.0 mills in 2014. This would directly impact the City's General Fund, of which 10% is funded by the property tax. The City would lose an extimated $2.85 million in revenue in 2005 to a nearly $30 million in revenue in 2014. Over the life of the Amendment, the City would lose over $156 million dollars of revenue. Basic safety services like police and fire would directly suffer from the loss of revenue and face drastic cuts.

Workers are needed to help distribute literature, yard signs and fight to defeat Issue 4.

[ohiomike08]

Wow! I did not realize how bad it has gotten in Cincinnati. I remember when the Springfield Fire Division went down to 2 per engine!, and closed Station #1.

By the way ... who's idea was it to roll back the property tax? Wouldn't it be better to cut trash collection, turn that over to private companies, (who would most likely pick-up the layed off city workers), then cut police and fire services? The City of Springfield ended up cutting out trash collection, street cleaning, etc..., and turned all of that over to privates.

I hope everything goes well, and everyone stays safe!

Mike