How are you doing?

[CaptainGonzo]

How is your community handling the reduction in state aid in relationship to your fire department?

Are they laying off firefighters and closing stations?

I find it ironic that this is happening while the threat level from terrorism is high....

[Airborne]

I have not heard of any potential layoffs of emergency personel yet here in Minnesota, but I know here in Minneapolis the City is starting the layoff process of other employess, in other departments like ME GOD DAMIT. And once our state cuts LGA (Local Goverment Aid) There will be more, it is bad but there is no way around it I'm affried.

One would think like any fiscaly responsable person that they would have tucked some moeny away for these days, dam idiots.

[DaSharkie]

Well Cap,

I guess I led the charge last June since I was laid off then along with 2 other guys. I know a guy was laid off from Athol a few weeks later.

I have a friend on the job in Fitchburg and he is pretty much sweating it out and thinks he'll probably get the ol' heave ho along with a few others. The only saving grace would be if a few guys who can retire acutally do, but there isn't a whole lot of hope for that happening apparently. There's an article in today's (2/12/03) Worcester telegram about them shutting down the ladder in the Cleghorn section of town. This area is HEAVILY populated with triple deckers and has a large portion of immigrants and poorer people as well as two elderly housing complexes, one being a high rise.

I took an academy class about 2 months ago adn some guys from pretty afluent communities were there as well and they were all talking about expecting layoffs of their new hires, mostly all being Paramedics so now you cut expenditures by letting go of guys but you are also cuttin A LOT of income by reducing your ambulance billing because you cannot perform ALS interventions and bill for them.

I remember hearing a lot of guys who have gone through layoffs before talk adn the town usually spent more on OT for shift coverage than it actually would have spent if they kept a few of the guys. I guess you are just damned if you do and damned if you don't. Then again, if you don't have the money you don't have the money so what are you going to do then?

[SARfreak]

They laid off 54 firefighter and 73 police in Springfield a few weeks ago.:mad: The local union voted on a pay deferal for firefighters to get the jobs back, but it was voted down. Two guys I go to school with have fathers on the dept. One was laid off, the other's firehouse was closed and he was transfered. They're now running three-man rigs and calling mutual aid to Chicoppee, Longmeadow, East Longmeadow, West Springfield, Holyoke, etc... if there's any more than two incidents happening at the same time. The "Union News" has been running a lot of FD and PD news, trying to make the public aware of the danger their government has placed them in by giving them minimal fire and police protection. :(