Oakland firefighters are lobbying to stop a proposed plan that could result in the closure of up to six fire stations over the next several months.
The cost-cutting measure has been recommended to help address Oakland’s $129 million budget deficit.
In response, firefighters have launched a public education campaign about the impacts the closures would have on response times to rally support from residents, urging them to oppose the closures.
Firefighters acknowledge the city’s need to balance its budget but argue that cutting public safety should be a last resort. Instead, they suggest collecting uncollected revenues and reassessing management compensation as alternative solutions.
The firefighters’ union is also reviewing whether the proposed cuts would violate minimum service level requirements outlined in their contract.