Oakland, California, faces a $129.8 million budget deficit that could lead to the closure of four more fire stations, drastically reducing firefighting capacity by 30%. This comes on the heels of recent closures and a delayed reopening, resulting in response times three times the national average.
Oakland , California, is facing a severe budget crisis that threatens to decimate its firefighting capacity by as much as 30%. Sources reveal that the city's $129.8 million budget deficit could result in the closure of four more fire stations, compounding the impact of recent cuts that already saw two stations shut down and a newly renovated station remaining unopened. This situation has pushed response times in the Democrat-controlled city to a staggering three times the national average.
\City Councilmember Zac Unger, a 27-year veteran of the Oakland Fire Department, expressed grave concern about the potential consequences. He stated, 'We have three firehouses currently closed and another four slated to close... which would represent about 30% of our firefighting capacity here in Oakland, an absolutely catastrophic potential for the city of Oakland. We simply cannot afford to lose 30% of our fire and emergency medical response.' Firefighters and city officials are working tirelessly to identify alternative funding sources and avert further station closures. Fire Chief Damon Covington acknowledged the progress made in preventing the closure of the four additional stations but cautioned that the situation remains precarious. 'Seven firehouses would represent about 30% of our fire department,' Covington explained. 'It's a tremendous threat because, ultimately, we need more fire service to cover our city adequately, and to lose two firehouses and a third that was under renovation, it taxes our workforce.'\The limited firefighting capacity has already had a detrimental impact on response times, raising fears of a disaster similar to the Palisades and Eaton wildfires in Los Angeles. President of Oakland Firefighters Local 55 Seth Olyer illustrated the danger, citing a recent house fire where the closest engine took nearly 11 minutes to arrive, compared to the usual four-minute response time. 'With a fire doubling in size every minute, you can do the math,' Olyer stated. 'This went from a small fire inside the house to a total loss and nearly threatening the surrounding area and potentially starting a wildland fire, much like in L.A.' Oakland firefighters emphasize that they are dedicated professionals who will respond to any challenge, but they stress that closing firehouses inevitably leads to slower response times and compromises public safety. Unger echoed this sentiment, saying, 'There's simply no way to close firehouses and expect to receive the same level of service.
OAKLAND CALIFORNIA FIRE DEPARTMENT BUDGET DEFICIT FIRE STATION CLOSURES RESPONSE TIMES WILDFIRE PUBLIC SAFETY
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